Beyond the Past
by indytiff
Summary: Bella is not human yet she's not quite vampire. She's been forced to leave her home and everything she's ever known is gone. Finding herself in a small town, she tries to move on with her life but will her past let her? multiple POVs
1. Open Notes

**Opening Notes:**

**Hello!!! **

**For those of you who have read previous stories of mine, welcome back to my little world of craziness. Your support is still amazing! And I'm glad you're reading this one. In regards to my previous story (Only Time Will Tell), I've had some complaints about the ending. I will not being doing an epilogue, but I am considering a possible sequel. I'm not sold on the idea yet. If I do it, it will because I don't have any other good ideas to write about. I already have this story in mind and then I'm messing around with 2 other ideas as well. So….yeah.**

**Anywho - If you haven't read any of my previous stories, feel free to. I hope you like them and this one. Also if you have any questions for me, just ask. I'm pretty much an open book. **

**Now about this story. It's my first dive into the realm of supernatural/vampires so be kind. I'd like to give you a summary but I don't know how to write a good one and not give away too much in the story.**

**It will be alternating POV's…Bella's and Edward's. I will always tell you when I switching and I will try to not duplicate too many scenes, as I know that can get pretty redundant.**

**I like to give my readers some sort of schedule for posting. I will aim for once a week, but I can't make any promises. Work for me is going to be crazy for the next month or so but I will try my best to keep things moving along. **

**And so without further ado….**

_**Disclaimer:**_

_**I am not affiliated with Stephenie Meyer. All references to and characters in the**_**Twilight Saga**_** belong to her and only her.**_

_**I will not be putting this disclaimer at the beginning of every chapter. This encompasses everything to follow from this point on.**_


	2. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

**BPOV**

Lonely. Alone. Unaccompanied. Solitary.

No matter how you spin it, it is me. I am alone and nothing gives you time to think about that like a sixteen hour ride in a car…by yourself.

I hadn't always been alone. In fact up until two days ago I had a family – or at least as close as I ever thought I'd get. I had a mother and father, or sorts.

Nina and Neil had cared for me like their own since the day they found me deep in the woods outside of what was then Charleston, South Carolina. I was lying in the arms of my biological mother while she struggled to stay alive when they stumbled upon us.

Renee, my biological mother, requested Nina care for me and give me the life she would be unable to. From my mother I received two things.

A locket that held a picture of her and her fiancée, Charles Swan. And a name - my name, Isabella Marie Swan.

Charles is not my biological father. In reality I don't know who my biological father is. All I know about him is that he's a vampire. My mother was human. I am a half-breed and the only one in existence that I know of.

Nina and Neil were also vampires. A different kind of vampire though. They fed on animals and not humans. They drank the blood of only animals. They raised me to be the kind hearted creature they were.

I couldn't have fed off of humans though no matter what. I am part human after all. I have a heart beat. I breathe. I cry. I can eat food. I can sleep. But I can't die (easily) and I quit aging after five years of development. I'm forever doomed to look the way I do. I am human but I am also still a vampire.

The human part of me longs to be able to be…well…human. I wonder a lot of things about my mother. I wonder if I look like she did or if I look like him. I wonder what color her hair was. I wonder what her favorite thing to do was. I wonder if she was witty and sarcastic or flaky. I wonder if she would have loved me knowing I was part monster. I wonder all of these things, but I'll never get to find out the answers.

I would never know. She's dead.

Nina and Neil are dead.

Everyone I had ever known in my life was out of it and I was running away from it all. I was hiding. It was no longer safe for me to stay in the home we had created in Northern Canada. I had been able to escape the house with only a few treasures. I didn't have time to consider a destination or even what way I was headed. I just drove until I couldn't drive anymore.

Sixteen hours. It took sixteen hours for the road to end on a cliff over looking the Pacific Ocean. I really couldn't tell you what state I was in. I knew I had crossed the border into America though because border patrol stopped me. Luckily I had remembered to pack my passport otherwise I'm afraid to think of how that would have gone down.

Judging by the late summer temperature, the beaches, the trees…my guess is that I appear to be in Washington. I sat on that cliff for probably another good hour before my car beeped at me.

_Low fuel. Damn._ I thought as I pulled back onto the highway and headed south a little further. I drove for about fifteen miles before coming up on a sign.

'Welcome to Forks.'

Forks? Well it was an interesting name to say the least. The town immediately struck me as your typical small town. Everyone stared at my car knowing it was a stranger and everyone continued to stare as I pulled up to the only gas station in town to refuel.

I started to pump the gas and my mind started wandering to the thoughts surrounding me. Just your typical thoughts really. Nothing surprising. Nothing alarming. And of course they all had a common theme. Me. But none of the thoughts were malicious. In fact everyone seemed very friendly…gossip hounds but friendly.

_Maybe I could stay here_.

Now there's a thought. It would be the perfect place to hide really. A town this small didn't offer the cover a big city did, but it would be easier for me monitor everyone here. Easier to keep an eye out for trouble.

I started imagining how things would be for me a town this size – if I could even make it work. Yes, I do believe I could make this work. Everyone would expect me to hide in a big city. They'd look there first.

"_I wonder what such a young girl is doing on her own." _A woman's fleeting thought crossed into my reverie.

They, like most humans, think I'm young. I do look young, maybe about eighteen or so. In reality I'm about a hundred years old. I listened closer to try and figure out what exactly they thought about my age. It became quite clear pretty quickly that everyone apparently saw me as a high school girl.

I had wanted to just get a job and live a life of a single female. But why would a single female settle in a town this size? No, I would have to play the role of a high school senior. Of course that brought on a plethora of additional issues. Parents? Money? And high school itself.

I hate high school. I've played this role a few times in my existence and each time it was the same bullshit; cliques, drooling boys, and stupid teachers. But I could do it for a year and then move on. I would probably need to do so anyways by then.

I'll never be able to stay in one place long anymore.

"Excuse me miss?" I asked the woman who had thought I was a young girl. My voice startled her but she recovered quickly.

"Yes?" She asked.

"Hi. My name is Bella Swan and I'm looking for a house in your lovely town. Do you have a realtor you could suggest?"

"Um well…I'm the local realtor actually but are you old enough to be purchasing a home?"

"I am eighteen. See I'll be enrolling as a senior in high school this year. My parents are in the Peace Corps and so when I turned eighteen I emancipated myself. They agreed as long as I promised to finish high school in a small town." I said shrugging. She still looked skeptical. "I have cash."

Her face lit up. Humans were so ridiculous. "I have the perfect house and you could move in immediately."

"Like in an hour?"

"I suppose but where are all your belongings?"

"In my car. I don't have much. No furniture. I'll be needing to buy some of that too. Can I follow you to the house?"

"Of course." She said then headed towards her car.

Two hours later I was sitting on the floor of my new house. Its small compared to the house I had left in Canada, but it would work for a supposed eighteen year old living by herself for her senior year of high school. It's a two story white house with the picturesque white picket fence around it and a cute little porch with a swing. There was a garage, for which was a necessity for me. It would house my baby…my Audi R8 and other items that I needed to hide from prying human eyes.

The backyard butted up against the woods, which could be helpful if I need to run, but again posed a threat.

I would need to watch that area closer than any other area.

My first item on my "To Do List" was to set up an internet connection. Seeing as it was Sunday I wouldn't be able to get the technicians out until tomorrow, but I found a wireless connection coming from a nearby house and piggybacked my way into it.

Once my connection was established, I ordered my furniture. Luckily I was able to get it all from a store relatively close and by paying extra, secured delivery the next afternoon.

While on the internet I did some research on the local school. It seemed that school had only started a week earlier and so that worked in my favor. I jotted down the address and enrollment information I would need for tomorrow before shutting down.

It was a relatively warm evening, not that it really bothered me any to be cold but it was nice nonetheless, so I grabbed one of my favorite books out of the confines of a box and headed to find a spot on my roof.

Sitting on the roof was something I've been doing for my whole existence. It relaxed me and in a world where relaxation was damn near impossible, I took every opportunity I could to find it.

I could keep a closer eye, well actually a closer mind, on the things surrounding me. I guess that's one thing I can give thanks for. I have the ability to read minds. It's a selective power for me. I can turn it off if I want to and I can "tune-in" only one mind if I'd like to. I really like that I can stop it if I want though. That's got to be the best thing about it. Sometimes you just don't want to know what someone is thinking.

The biggest perk of being a vampire for me is my shield. I can block anyone's mental powers, which is a lot because most vampires' powers are solely mind games. Only a few have actual physical powers. I have had to use it more recently than I want to think about but I had a sneaky suspicion that I would be using it more. Nina had always told me I was damn near invincible. I am hoping she was right.

But I don't want to think about why I might have to use that particular power; instead I settled deeper into my spot leaning against the chimney and started reading. It was now 2am and I would be staying awake through the night just to make sure no one had followed me. Also not sleeping tonight would make it easier to take an hour or so nap tomorrow night before starting school on Tuesday.

I was already dreading high school and I hadn't even seen the campus yet. I would be able to form a more stable opinion tomorrow morning when I went to register but I was pretty sure this school was going to be no different than the others I had attended in the past.

---

"Good morning dear, how may I help you?" A plump older woman greeted me when I walked into the front office of the high school. It was after 9:00 so all the students were in class, which is how I planned it. No need to get the rumors started before I even actually attended.

I opened my mind to read her thoughts knowing that hearing her make an opinion on me would make the story I told for enrollment without parents easier to come up with.

"_What is she doing here? She's not old enough to be the mother of a high school student but she surely isn't enrolling. Where are her parents?"_

Hmm…not helping me much but we'll go with it.

"Good morning." I greeted back. "My name is Isabella Swan. I'm here to enroll as a senior in your school."

"Where are your parents dear?" She asked with a look of surprise on her face.

"Oh they're overseas. They're in the Peace Corps." _Might as well keep with the story I told the realtor. With the gossip in town it'd be sure to come out if I told two different stories_."So since they're overseas and I didn't want to go I emancipated myself. Of course they only agreed to this because I'm eighteen and it's my senior year of high school. Their only request was that I find a small town to finish up in. I think they thought this would help me stay out of trouble." I laughed. The woman behind the counter smiled lovingly.

"Well you certainly picked a small enough town. Where should I pull your records from?"

"Oh I was homeschooled before coming here. I have the paperwork from my mother here." I said as I pulled out a manila envelope. "It should all be there." I added as I handed it to her.

"My, you have perfect grades here Isabella."

"Thank you and please call me Bella." I smiled genuinely. I spent the next half hour enrolling and getting a schedule of classes. By the time I left the office I knew Mrs. Cope's entire life story. How she met her husband, how old her sons were…of course she made a point of making sure I knew she had grandsons "my age".

Humans are supposed to be afraid of my kind. Unfortunately I don't look like my kind. My human traits soften my appearance. It makes me look more like a human and therefore makes them more comfortable around me. Most of the time it is bearable, like with Mrs. Cope.

Other times I really wished they'd just find me scary and run away like they did with Nina and Neil.

After getting home from the school, I only had to wait about an hour until the delivery men knocked on my door. Watching them struggle with bringing in the furniture was extremely humorous. I really wanted to help them but the fact that I could single-handedly pickup the couch would probably look odd. It took them almost two hours to get everything in. I told them to just put things wherever. I would take my evening rearranging and decorating.

---

5am my alarm woke me from my short nap. Sleeping was something I did like. It was always something Nina would yell at me for being able to do. All she ever wanted to do was dream, just once. But vampires can't sleep and I don't have to sleep but I can and it does make me feel more rested. I try to sleep a couple hours each week, but I can't always do that. My nap this time was the first time I had slept even a little bit in almost two weeks.

After my morning bathroom routine, I found myself standing in front of my relatively empty closet. I had been so caught up in buying my furniture I forgot that I had run out of the house with only a small suitcase of clothing.

That made this decision easier.

I grabbed a pair of skinny black jeans and my favorite inside joke t-shirt; my vintage designed black shirt with white bold lettering reading 'MIND READER.' Definitely my favorite shirt. I laughed every time I wore it.

I threw on a pair of basic black Manolo Blahnik stiletto pumps. I double checked my hair, although it was just straight like always, and headed out towards my car.

It only took me five minutes to pull into the parking lot. And it took me less than two seconds to realize I should have bought a new car too. My Audi drew attention…way more attention than I wanted to draw just by pulling into the parking lot.

By the looks of things, the majority of the student body was already at school and in the parking lot. I parked in the back to help hide but it didn't seem to help. Everyone was looking at me, well my car. They couldn't see me. My tint on my windows was too dark.

I took a deep breath and opened the door. There was no since in prolonging this moment. I stepped out and shut the door behind me as I swung my messenger bag over my shoulder.

I knew when I had come into view of the students because I heard gasps.

Most of the faces staring at me were adorned with open mouths watching me walk across the parking lot. Not talking, just staring. And we all know that just because a human isn't talking doesn't mean they're not thinking.

I opened my mind for the first time since I pulled into the parking lot. It would be the only time I would do it today otherwise I would likely go insane with their endless chatter. But right now I need to know what their thoughts are.

I was not at all surprised with what I found. I found admiration. I found jealousy. I found inappropriate fantasies.

I quit searching. There was nothing harmful here in these thoughts. No one thought I looked odd or scary. I was just a beautiful human to them.

I made my way to my first class, English, and introduced myself to the teacher. He directed me towards a chair in the back row next to a brunette who was anxiously staring at me.

"Hi!" She bubbled. "Like, welcome to Forks."

_Great. She would annoy the hell out of me if she kept up this 'like' shit._

"Hello." I smiled nicely.

"I'm Jessica by the way."

"Bella." I responded then the teacher started the class. Being that they're only a week into the year, I haven't missed much but it really wouldn't have mattered. I have read every book on his syllabus at least twice, some more than that.

English would be boring.

My next class, which I was informed was with Jessica also, was Calculus. I quickly discovered that I could teach the class better than the dumbass who was currently trying. Hell, I am pretty sure Jessica could teach it better and she looked lost.

Calculus would be boring.

History was next. It was without Jessica but she was next door in Spanish so I was told I would be walking to lunch with her. But this class would prove to be more tedious than the prior two. It was strictly history from the 1900s up to today. I lived this. I would know more than this poser would ever be able to teach the students. I would have to keep my mouth shut when the book lied or the teacher was wrong. I'm not sure, but if a supposed eighteen year old spouted off about how insane Woodstock really was or who really killed JFK, it might cause a problem.

History would be annoying.

And speaking of annoying…

"You ready for lunch Bella?" Jessica asked she greeted me in the hallway. It wasn't that she wasn't a nice girl. She was and her thoughts were relatively innocent except for the occasional twinge of jealousy. But she had that voice that just grated on my nerves. Her vocabulary was less than thrilling. Not someone I could see me spending an abundance of time with.

Not something I should do with any human. I may not feed off of them but I was still dangerous.

"Yep. What kind of food does this place serve anyways?" I asked not really interested. I would suffer through lunch everyday for my role but it would probably always be an apple and water.

"Not good food." She laughed.

"That's encouraging." I said as another girl approached us. She was grinning from ear to ear.

"Hello. I'm Angela Weber. Are you sitting with us today?"

"Hi. I'm Bella Swan, and yes I do believe I am." I smiled.

"Good." She returned the smile. "So you'll never believe what happened Jess."

Angela and Jessica are apparently friends but they seem nothing alike. Jessica Stanley is obviously your cheerleader type. Bubbly and flaky. Her curly brown hair was dull and frizzy with over processing and products. Angela seemed to be your typical girl next door and smart. The vibe she was giving me was a breath of fresh air. She was naturally happy and peppy. The way her black hair swings when she walks in proof of her pep.

"What happened?" Jess asked.

"Well in French I was talking to Eric…oh Bella, Eric's our friend. You'll meet him at lunch. Anyways, I was talking to Eric when…" Angela started telling some in depth story about people I had no idea about. I was trying to pay attention to the story because I like Angela and I wanted to know what had happened to make her so excited but I jut couldn't focus on her.

We had walked up to the cafeteria doors and even without entering, the scent hit me like a ton of bricks.

Not the smell of the awful food.

Not the smell of blood.

It was the smell of vampire.

I froze. I wanted to open my mind to search the thoughts in the cafeteria before entering, but I couldn't. I had no idea what to search for and I knew as soon as I walked into that cafeteria every thought would be focused on me so that wouldn't help me.

I have to go into the cafeteria blind. I have no idea what is waiting for me on the other side of the door. Or even if the smell is coming from the cafeteria. Although I'm pretty positive it is.

And there is the definite scent of vampire. Their sickeningly sweet smell could be picked out anywhere.

Fear set it and I was pretty sure I was about to have a full blown panic attack…not sure if I could even have one, but that's what it felt like. My head was spinning, my breathing increased, and I know my face got whiter than it already was. I couldn't focus on anything except putting my shield up and in full force.

_But there wouldn't be a fight or anything because we couldn't do that in front of the humans. _

As soon as that thought raced through my mind, I began calming down. Yes, this fight would wait until we were alone.

"You okay Bella?" Angela asked me touching my shoulder.

"Huh? Oh yeah I'm fine…I'm just nervous I guess. Everyone's going to be looking at me." I spouted off.

"Well duh! Soak it up girl. You look smoking hot. Let 'em look." Jessica said grabbing my hand and pulling me into the cafeteria. I could have fought her but I was afraid if I tried to fight her, my fear would come out in my strength and I'd kill her so I swallowed hard and let her drag me.

I didn't have to wait long to find out where the scent of vampire was coming from.

As soon as we were through the doors, I was standing directly across the cafeteria from their table. And none of them had even noticed me enter. They weren't here for me. They hadn't picked up on the slight smell of vampire. I was all but invisible to them.

"She's already staring at them." Angela whispered as she giggled.

"Uh…what?" I asked.

"The Cullens; you're already staring. It's okay. We all still do it and we've been going to school with them for three years…well four if you count this year." Jessica said as we walked towards the lunch line.

"Um…I'm not sure I know what you're talking about. Who?"

"That table you were staring at when we first walked in. They're like Dr. and Mrs. Cullen's kids. They're all adopted or something like that." Jess shrugged. I nodded hoping one of them would continue thinking maybe the local gossip would help be figure out the group of vampires.

"So that big burly looking one with the dark curly hair is Emmett Cullen." Angela started pointing out the members of the Cullen family as we headed towards the lunch line on the opposite side. "The blonde knockout next to him is Rosalie Hale. They're together."

Emmett was definitely big. One of the biggest vampires I had ever seen but something about his face made me think of a giant teddy bear instead of a ruthless killing machine. Judging by the shivers that ran through Angela and Jessica with just the mention of his name, I was pretty sure they didn't see him as a teddy bear though. Rosalie was obviously a bitch of massive proportions. She had the typical vampire features that made her irresistible and then add in that blonde hair…yes Angela described her perfectly as a knockout.

"Next to Rosalie, the pixie looking creature is Alice Cullen. She's always bouncing around like she's on a major coffee high. Her boyfriend, Jasper Hale, is next to her. He and Rosalie are twins that Dr. Cullen took in after their mom died, or something like that. Anyways…no one's real sure what's up with Jasper but he always looks pissy or like he's in pain." Jessica explained as we sat down at the table where three other people were already sitting.

"Obsessed with the Cullens already?" the blonde smarted off as she glared at me. I would not be getting along well with this one that was obvious. I just gave her the sweetest smile I could muster.

"Lauren, this is Bella. Bella this is Lauren Mallory and that's Mike Newton and Eric Yorkie." Angela did the introductions ignoring Lauren's original attitude.

"Nice to meet you all." I said to them then turned directly to Angela. "Who's the boy with the bronze colored hair?"

"Oh that's Edward Cullen. He's…perfect." Jessica sighed earning an eye roll from Lauren and Angela. She was right, he is definitely perfect but we're made that way – to draw in our prey. His bronze hair was highly disheveled but yet somehow looked put together. His features were almost sharper than most vampires I'd seen. He was breathtaking and I hadn't even really seen him yet.

His eyes…their eyes. I need to see them. I need to know what color they are. I am pretty sure I know what color but I need confirmation.

And now that I've found what I'm looking for, I should open my mind and see what I can find out from our five resident vampires. I was just about to when Lauren opened her damn mouth.

"Quit staring. You're just wasting your time with him. He's apparently too good for every girl in this school."

Her whiny voice made me jump and I closed my mind off. I glared at her then turned back to the table to begin where I left off. However, when I looked back to the table I saw the eyes I needed to see. In fact I saw all five pairs of eyes.

Five pairs of confused topaz colored eyes.


	3. Chapter 2

**A/N: Thank you for the reviews on the first chapter. I was kind of hoping for more of a response, but what I received was great and I truly do appreciate it! **

**Here's the next chapter...within my goal of a week. Hope you enjoy Edward's POV. It was surprisingly difficult to write. I'm hoping future chapters are easier and flow better.**

* * *

**Chapter 2**

**EPOV**

I fucking hate high school.

If it wasn't for appearances, I'd never step foot in another school. I dreaded it every day. It was the same mundane things repeated every day, over and over. It's especially annoying to a vampire who can read minds…all minds, all the time.

But I do it for my family. The only people I have in my life that I care about.

I'm closest to my youngest sister Alice…well she's older in one sense. She's older in the human way of thinking. But she's younger in the only sense that matters in my world. She wasn't transformed until sometime in the 1920's. We're not sure of the exact year she became a vampire, or even who transformed her, but nonetheless I was older in the world of vampires.

And I throw it in her face whenever I can. But after 90 so years of it, she's pretty used to it.

I can't hate on her too much though. As the "future-seeing" vampire, she relates the best to me – the mind reading vampire.

My brother, Emmett was the source of humor in our family. He was always cracking jokes and being a typical clown. I can always count on Emmett to relieve my stress after a long day.

Of course he was only reliable if Rosalie wasn't being her typical bitchy self and demanding he pay attention to her. Don't get me wrong, I love Rosalie. She is my sister but damn if I can't stand her some times. She's never liked the life of a vampire, she despises it in fact. But there's no changing that now and I wish she'd just get over it. Her constant resentment towards Carlisle, her creator and our father for all intents and purposes, made her mind a horrid place to be and I could never escape it. At least Emmett's mind was simple and he usually said whatever he was thinking.

My other brother, Jasper, is older than any of us…well aside form Carlisle. He and Alice came to the family together. They found us and we welcomed them with open arms. Jasper is the exact opposite of Alice but I think that's what they both need. He needed the energetic fireball that is Alice and Alice needed him to calm her down occasionally.

Jasper can calm any of us down. It's his gift. It's more annoying than mine or Alice's. Nothing is worse than when you really want to be mad at someone and Jasper calms you down.

Our "parents" Carlisle and Esme….well there's nothing that compares to them. They're compassionate and loving. Carlisle transformed all of us except Alice and Jasper. I was the first, then Esme, Rosalie was next and then Emmett. All of the transformations were necessities to avoid death, although I think he knows deep down that he would have transformed Esme whether she was dying or not. He was in love. Nothing can stop a man in love.

Carlisle is the reason we're the way we are. He "raised" us to survive on the blood of animals and not humans. This allowed us live alongside humans. Occasionally it was difficult for some of us but most of the time it worked just fine.

We've been in the small town of Forks, Washington now for three years, this will be our fourth. The five of us started our senior year last week and I couldn't be more eager to get out of here. At least when I was in college, I was able to find more suitable conversations – not that in conversed with humans much any ways but if I so choose to, college conversations were better.

In high school all I got was how hot some chick is or which shampoo was the right one to use with dyed hair. Basically less than stimulating conversations surrounded me daily and even if they weren't talking out loud they were thinking the same things. Plus in their minds, they had their little sexual fantasies. Fantasies about my family, fantasies about me, fantasies about famous people they'll never meet. All I ever was bombarded with was sex.

And I wasn't having any.

Even away from the hormonal hell of high school, I was surrounded by it. Carlisle and Esme, Alice and Jasper, Rose and Emmett…love everywhere. It's nauseating.

"Hey man…what are you thinking about now?" Emmett boomed from the backseat of my car. I shrugged my shoulders but didn't answer.

"Knowing Edward, he's probably off in his own little world about some stuffy book he read or he's off composing…" Rosalie started.

"Actually Rose, I was thinking about how much I do not want to listen to the mindless chatter of the student body today." I said.

"Today should be pretty quiet. I don't see anything dramatic happening. Maybe the inner-monologues will be quiet today." Alice offered trying to help.

"Thanks but doubtful." I said as we pulled into the parking lot at school. Per usual, everyone stared at us. You'd think after three years of attending school with them, they'd get over staring at us. We look the same as we did the day before…hell the same as we did fifty years ago for that matter. Nothing ever changes with us. It's always the same five "people" who step out of my Volvo every morning.

Actually, that's not true. We don't show up every morning. If the sun is shining we have to say out of sight for obvious reasons. No need in casting sparkling rays of sun beams off our skin.

I went through the morning ignoring everything and everyone, trying my best to keep them all out of my head. I was successful as for some reason no one was gossiping or even fanaticizing about the Cullen family.

After my third period English class with Alice, we headed off towards the cafeteria to meet up with the others. I'm not entirely sure why we bother going to the cafeteria, except to help with the appearance of being human. Although I'm pretty positive that just sitting there with no food looks odd. From a human's perspective it doesn't even look like we're talking, but we do talk.

Well normally we talk, but today we're all strangely quiet. Alice and I sat down at the table which was already occupied by the other three and now we've sitting here for a good ten minutes and no one has uttered even a sigh.

"Bad mornings?" I finally asked to break the silence even though I could easily read their minds to give me my answer. I felt wrong prying into my family's brains so if I could occupy my mind with stupid mindless things to keep out of theirs, I tried.

"Nah…just boring I guess." Jasper said. "It's always boring though."

"Oh that reminds me…why didn't you tell us we were getting a new student today Al?" Emmett asked. Alice's eyebrows knitted together and she looked at him with utter confusion while we all stared at her. Alice never missed something like that. We always needed to have the heads up if a new person was coming into town so I could instantly get into their head to figure out if they were a threat.

"I don't know what you're talking about. I didn't see anything."

"Are you being a shit again?" Rosalie pointedly asked Emmett.

"No I swear I'm not making this shit up. I heard Newton talking about her today in class. He just kept going on about her ass and tits and…I swear she's real. I just don't know who _she_ is."

"How could you not see this?" I asked Alice.

"I'm not sure." She said sounding ashamed that she missed a newcomer. "Why didn't you catch talk about a new student?" She said flipping it onto me.

"I've kept my mind busy this morning to avoid hearing human conversations. I'll scan and see what I can come up with." I said then focused on the minds surrounding us.

"_Shit…I didn't do my homework…"_

"_I wonder if Mrs…."_

Well those weren't helping me…switching sides of the cafeteria….

"_I bet she's great in bed. Her body's banging and those…" _Newton's thoughts went downhill drastically from there.

"_Bella seems really kind." _Angela Weber. Bella must be the new girl's name.

"Her name is Bella but that's all I've got so far…aside from Newton's vile thoughts about her."

"_Of course she's crushing on _my_ Edward! What a slut!"_ Lauren Mallory…queue the shivers – well if I could I would shiver. She was worse than Jessica Stanley with her obsession. "Quit staring. You're just wasting your time. He's apparently too good for every girl in this school." She said to who I assumed was this Bella girl. No surprise that the new girl was staring at us. It's to be expected.

"She's sitting with Jessica, Lauren, Angela, Eric, and Newton." I quickly said to my family.

"What?" Alice choked. We all looked at her strangely waiting for further explanation. "I…I can't see her. I'm trying to focus on her but…I can't see anyone she's around. It's like their futures all disappeared."

With this bit of information all five of us turned our heads in the direction of the table they all usually sat at. We were instantly met with the sight of a pair of brown eyes staring at us.

She has to be the most gorgeous creature I've ever laid my eyes on. Her brown eyes glistened under the artificial lighting of the cafeteria showing the specks of gold in them. Her brown hair fell straight to the middle of her back and flowed beautifully around her slightly oval face. Her lips were full and pouty, with the bottom one just slightly fuller. Her features were soft yet sharp at the same time. Her skin was a pale color and had a certain look that I could only describe as vampiric, but I knew that wasn't true since none of us smelled vampire and her eyes were brown. And now the blush that's creeping up on her face proves she has a heart beat and blood flow.

I stared as her blood continued to color her cheeks for what felt like eternity but really was only a few more seconds before she tore her gaze from mine.

"What's she thinking bro? If Alice can't see her…we need to know if she's a threat or I'd settle for just what she is." Jasper said. He was right. I hadn't even tried to hear her mind as I stared at her. If Alice can't see her, she's a definite possible threat. Without looking away from Jasper I focused in on the spot next to Angela where I knew Bella was sitting.

Nothing.

I heard absolutely nothing…in her mind, but my ears could hear her talking to Angela. They were discussing their math homework.

I tried her mind again, this time looking at her. As I was probing the area around her mind trying to find a way in, she flinched. The next thing I knew she was staring in my direction again with a suspicious look on her face. It was then I realized what her shirt said.

Interesting. Does she know who we are? Is that shirt a way for her to tell us without actually telling us? Or was it just one of her favorite vintages? I couldn't tell because I can't read her mind.

"So…" My four siblings question.

"Um…I can't hear her." I said quickly and quietly.

"WHAT!?" Rosalie shouted. It was the loudest any of us had ever been in school and instantly a hundred kids were looking in our direction, including Bella who was now smiling from ear to ear.

And what a blindingly ideal smile.

"What are you smiling at?" I heard Jessica asked Bella. Bella gave me one final look before turning towards Jessica.

"Oh nothing just something I find funny that's all." She shrugged but was still smiling.

"Huh…I wish I could read your mind right now because obviously something's funny or entertaining." Jessica said giving a small hand wave towards Bella's shirt as she walked away.

"No you don't." Bella mumbled under her breath still slightly smiling.

_Damn – I wish I could!_ I thought frustrated as I stood up from the table. "Later." I said then headed out towards my next class. AP Biology.

I took my normal seat at the back lab table. There was no point in me sitting up front. I didn't need to pay attention in class to pass it. I knew more than the teacher did and he knew this. He really couldn't have cared less if I didn't participate in class; in fact he rather preferred it. I have an understanding with all the teachers at the school; don't bug me and I won't make you look like an idiot.

It's been working out quite nicely for three years and I fully expect it to work this year too.

Everyone was now in the classroom and Mr. Banner was beginning his lesson when the door swung open. I didn't need to look up from my notebook to know who had just entered. I knew who it was because she was silent.

"Ah yes, Miss Swan. Welcome."

"Sorry I'm late Mr. Banner…I…couldn't find the room." She hesitated slightly. But her voice the sound of it made me…just – wow. I had heard it in the lunchroom but being surrounded by other noises had drowned out the musicality of it.

"Not a problem. You haven't missed anything and having seen your transcript, I would imagine missing the past week won't be a problem for you either." He said and she laughed.

_Wind chimes for a laugh. Musical voice. Sharp features. Could she be? No she can't be. I see her blood pumping through her veins under her skin._

"Any ways…I only have one seat available in the class." He motioned towards the back.

_Well if this isn't shit…I suppose it could be good though. Her sitting next to me might allow me to figure out her mind._

"Mr. Cullen, please raise your hand so Bella here can see her seat."

I did as I was told then immediately dropped it when her eyes found mine. She was laughing inside. I could see it in her eyes.

"Thank you Mr. Banner." Bella said as she headed towards her chair. All eyes were on her on she passed by. Especially Newton's…and Yorkie's…and now Tyler Crowley is pining after as well. None of these little boys even stood a chance. This girl was obviously too good for any of them. They should just stop wasting their time right now.

But maybe she likes her boys to be below her. Maybe she likes to control them like that. I don't know because I _can't read her mind!_ Seriously this is beyond infuriating.

Just as I thought that, she walked by me and then behind me to get to her seat. The breeze she created hit me like a ten-ton truck…or at least with the force I imagined a ten-ton truck would cause.

She smelled of blood, of course. Alluring blood, but I wasn't thirsty. The other scent that hit my nose was that of vampire but it wasn't vampire at the same time. It was different. My eyes followed her as she sat down. She never once looked my direction and she held all facial expressions. Her face was blank but I was positive her eyes would tell me everything I needed to know if she'd just look at me.

I sat there and stared at her for a good half hour while Banner went over the homework we would be doing in class. Once he shut up and passed out the homework, Bella began working on hers immediately and still ignored my staring even though I'm pretty sure she knew I was.

I attempted to read her mind again to find out what was going on in there, but came up blank again. For another ten minutes or so, who the hell knows, I kept trying and kept failing.

"_Would you please stop trying to read my mind, it's getting kind of annoying."_ Her beautiful voice rang out but she hadn't even moved her mouth or looked up at me. I had heard it in my mind, not through my ears. It caught me by surprise to hear it that I almost fell off the stool. This caused her to laugh. _"You okay there slugger?"_

_What the fuck?! How is she doing that?!? I swear just two seconds ago I couldn't hear a damn thing and now I'm listening to her thoughts…and she's directing them to me…she knows I can…_

"_Yes I know you can read minds but you can only read mine when I let you."_

_Wait, what?_

"_Oh for crying out loud Cullen. Are you dense? I can read minds; you can read minds, but only my mind when I let you."_

_What are you?_

As soon as I thought the question she laughed again and then stood up. "Time to go." She said as the bell rang.

"Wait!" I called after her. She didn't stop walking but turned around.

"See ya tomorrow." She said then winked at me.

_Screw that shit. She'll be seeing me before that_.

"_I heard that Cullen." _She thought as I heard her chuckle.

_Shit!_

---

I was waiting for my siblings at my car after school had let out when Bella came out of the front doors – surrounded by a whole group of them. They were all trying to get her attention. Date offers where flying all over the place. She wasn't even able to get a word in edgewise with these boys. Before she could turn one down another was asking.

As she walked towards the direction I was standing I took the opportunity to look her over, again. She's taller than Alice but smaller than Rosalie. Her curves are perfectly proportioned to her size. The jeans she was wearing were low slung and tight in all the right places. And speaking of tight…that shirt she's wearing is surprisingly one of the hottest things I've ever seen on a girl. It's pulled against her chest and hits just above the waist line of her jeans showing a little skin when she moves just right. Plus it's got to be the funniest thing ever. She's got some balls to wear a shirt flaunting that she can read minds.

Aside from all of that though…yeah her body's slamming but she's gorgeous. She's absolutely breathtaking.

"_If you had any breath to take." _She thought throwing me a cocky little smirk.

I narrowed my eyes at her as she got closer to me.

_Not fair, you know what I am but I don't know what you are. I think we should talk._

She walked past me to the shiny Audi two cars down from mine. I should have guessed that was hers. It was definitely a sharp looking car. Something with more under the hood than a girl could handle.

"_Watch it Cullen. I'm still listening to you"_

_Get out of my head Swan!_

"_Quit trying to get into mine." _She retorted throwing me a quick glance. "Okay fellas..." She spoke out loud to her fan club. It truly is disgusting the way they're drooling over her. She should be treated as a queen and not a piece of meat. She deserves that. "I'm going to do this all at once. Not to sound like a bitch here…but its hard when I am. I don't want to date any of you. Ever. I find none of you appealing in _any way_. Please leave me alone." She said as she jumped in her car and slammed the door. Even through the tint I could see she was laughing at some sort of inside joke she had made. She pulled out of her parking spot and drove back by my car giving me a slight wave as she drove by.

"Sweet ass car! Who was in that thing?" Emmett said as my siblings walked up.

"Bella." I said as I opened my door.

"The new chick?" Rose asked.

"One in the same."

"Was she in your Biology class by chance?" Alice asked with a look of concentration. I nodded. "We'll finish this conversation when over active ears aren't close."

With that we all got in the car and I took off.

"What's up Alice?" Jasper asked as soon as we were on the road.

"I definitely can't see her or anyone she's interacting with. I lost sight of Edward's future the second she walked into the Biology room today…or I'm assuming that's when she walked into the room. I have no way of truly knowing."

"I don't like that." Emmett said.

"She could have killed you and we'd never know." Rose said.

"She's not going to kill him. Ever." Alice said.

"How can you be so sure?" I asked but never got an answer from her. Typical Alice. So I tried to search her brain for answers. She was blocking me with everything she could think of. "Annoying." I mumbled. She just laughed and continued blocking me.

"So since she's in your class did you learn any more about her?" Emmett asked.

"Yeah that could come in handy having her in a class with one of us, especially since Al can't see her and you can't hear her." Jasper chimed in.

"Um...yeah about that…well we should wait until we're home and talk to Carlisle and Esme together." I said vaguely.

"Well that's shit." Rose said crossing her arms. She only had to wait another minute before we pulled into the garage at home.

Home. The only place we could truly be ourselves. I relished the moment when we got back here after a day at school. If I wasn't out hunting, I wanted to be at home. Those are the only two places I wanted to be.

"We need a family meeting." Alice said as the five of us walked into the house. Carlisle and Esme were in front of us immediately.

"Should this be held at the dining room table or can it be informal?" Esme asked.

"It doesn't matter." We all said as we headed towards the living room. After making ourselves comfortable on the couches, I took an unnecessary breath.

"A new student started today." I began.

"Alice you didn't see her?" Carlisle inquired. Alice shook her head slowly. "Intriguing."

"Yes and I can't hear her mind…unless she lets me."

All eyebrows were raised and knitted together.

"What do you mean 'lets you'?" Esme asked.

"That's what I'm hoping Carlisle can help with. Also, when she walked by in class I could smell slight vampire but nothing that could confirm that she is a vampire…"

"But she breathes and has blood flowing…I saw it." Jasper interrupted.

"Yes that's another thing." I said. "She's clearly human but she's got vampiric traits as well. She knows what we are because not only can she apparently block me and Alice, she can also read minds."

"Well this is very…" Carlisle started but Rose interrupted him.

"Fucked up. What the hell is she? She's clearly not human but she's not vampire. I don't like it. I think we need to get as far away from her as possible."

"We are not going to leave." Alice stated. It was a fact in her mind. She had seen the future. "I need to spend more time with her. I have to see if I can maybe…I don't know get used to her or something and maybe I'll be able to see her. But I have to try to figure out how to see her or we're all in trouble."

That's all Alice said but something in her tone made me think something else was going on. She was still blocking me so I couldn't be for sure.

"Alice is right. Plus we need to ask her if she would like to talk to us. We need to befriend her. We need more details." Carlisle said.

"Do you have any thoughts as to what she is?" Esme asked him with concern in her eyes.

"Well I've heard a story but I always just thought it was vampire myth. If it's true, then she's both human and vampire."

"Is that even possible?" Emmett asked. "Like physically possible? Would a human mother be able…?"

"I don't know. This is why I want to talk to her."

"What's her name?" Esme asked.

"Bella Swan." We all answered and I watched as a flash of familiarity went through Carlisle's eyes. I eyed him suspiciously but said nothing as he quickly left the room.

He was hiding something. Something big.


	4. Chapter 3

**A/N: Well this chapter is a little shorter but I had to stop it otherwise it would have been super long (you'll see why after you read). It's also a littler ahead of schedule which is surprising since I'm working some overtime currently. Not sure how long it will take to get Chapter 4 out though with the holiday next week and all. Hopefully I'll still be within my week mark.**

**Another note on this chapter - it's split POVs. I mark the switch so you'll be able to tell when it goes from Bella to Edward. I don't typically switch views in the middle of a chapter but I had to set it up for Chapter 4 and the easiest way was through Edward (again you'll see). **

**Thanks, as always, for your continued support of my stories! I smile every time I log on and have more reviews and traffic. It's great! Ohhh...and one more thing. I think I might have forgotten to mention in my opening notes on the story but this is rated 'M' because there will be lemons in the future (and of course for language...I'm writing this one like I speak haha). Also, just so everyone knows - there will be no Jacob Black interrupting the story. Sorry if you're a Jake fan!**

* * *

**Chapter 3**

**BPOV**

What_ the_ _hell_ was I thinking?! I should have under no circumstances revealed that I could read his mind. I don't even know him for crying out loud! And I definitely should not have let him read mine. But he was just so damn cute looking as he struggled to read my mind. The look of utter concentration on his face and frustration was almost comical. I couldn't help it and without thinking, I dropped my shield and let him in. I dropped my defense for someone I hadn't known but for an hour – and really I didn't know him.

I still don't know him or his family.

_Stupid, stupid, stupid! Fucking stupid girl!_

Not only was I brainless for dropping my defense for him but anything could have been outside the school waiting for their opportune moment. What if when I dropped my defense for Edward, I was attacked by someone I wasn't prepared for?

I can't be doing that anymore. I can't drop my shield for a boy. I can't do that again. That's how I got myself in my current situation.

The problem here was that even though I knew it was against my best interests, I wanted to get to know him. I may have only spent a grand total of about an hour with him, but there was something about him – something I just couldn't put my finger on.

He definitely is the best looking creature I've ever seen. In the lunchroom I had noticed, even across the room, his features were distinct and sharp, more so than a normal vampire's features. But sitting next to him in Biology just cemented that opinion. Wow. That's all I can say. His jaw, which was clenched the entire time in frustration, was strong and sharp. His nose, perfectly proportioned and angled just right, set off his other features.

And don't even get me started on his eyes. They're a magnificent deep shade of topaz. They reflect the light and mesmerize me. He had obviously been hunting recently, I would imagine that Sunday evening, maybe even Monday morning he was out quenching his thirst.

It was in his eyes that I found whatever it is that is begging me to open up to him. But I can't do that. Ever. I have to keep him _and_ his whole family at a safe distance. If not for my own safety, then for theirs.

So it's settled, tomorrow at school I will distance myself from them…especially Edward.

---

I pulled into the parking lot at school earlier than I had the day before, hoping to avoid as many people as I could. Unfortunately, I was not successful.

"Bella!" He yelled as I heard his feet hitting the ground in an obvious running fashion.

I really did not want to deal with Mike or any boys today. "What?" I asked as I shut my car door.

"So I was thinking that we should go see a movie Friday night or something. Maybe grab some dinner too…and then go back to my house. My parents are going to be out…"

I didn't need him to finish that. I didn't need to read his mind. I knew exactly where this was headed and I wanted nothing to do with.

"Mike…stop right there." I interrupted him. "Look, I meant what I said yesterday. I'm not interested in dating anyone…"

"I'm not talking dating…just hanging out as friends…"

"We both know that's not what that invite originally meant." I said just looking at him. He didn't say anything he just stood there. "You're nice but I'm not interested."

"But…" He said then trailed off as he was interrupted.

"She said she's not interested." A high pitched wind-chime voice said from behind me. I jumped slightly but still knew instantly who it was. I didn't need to turn around. Her voice, her smell, and the reaction on Mike's face told me it was a Cullen and since I had gotten the distinct bitch vibe from Rose, it had to be Alice.

"Now go away." Alice said shooing Mike along. He quickly hurried away but gave me one last fleeting glance that told me he was not giving up. "Hi!" she bubbled before I had a chance to say thank you and walk away.

"Uh…thanks for running him off. I don't…uh…well I'm not…"

"You're not as scary looking as I am. Yes I know." She said smiling. "I'm Alice, but you already knew that, didn't you? Although why did you jump when I spoke earlier? Surely you heard me coming or could _hear_ me."

"Um…well I did know it was you but I didn't hear you because I was choosing not to hear you. I'm Bella but I'm sure you already knew that too."

"I did yes." She said smiling. She's definitely cute…pixie like for sure. She can't stand taller than 5'3", with her four inch heels on. She had her short black hair spiked in every which direction. Her smile was completely genuine and she just stood there waiting for me so say something else.

Instead I hesitantly opened my mind to read her mind.

"_Oh Mickey you're so fine. You're so fine you blow my mind. Hey Mickey!..."_ She was singing one of the world's most annoying songs. Despite myself, I grimaced.

"_Annoying isn't it? I've been listening to shit like that for the past day"_ Edward's thoughts entered into my head. My head jerked towards his direction and found him leaning against his car not too far down from mine.

"That's what you get for trying to read my mind. I've been dealing with a mind reader for the past 90 years; I know how to keep you out." Alice laughed.

"I suppose I deserve that. I'll now have that damn song stuck in my head all day." I said.

"So when should we go shopping?" She asked bouncing up and down in front of me.

"Huh?"

"Just I have this feeling; we need to take you shopping."

"What makes you…"

"You wore those jeans yesterday…although I'm definitely liking this shirt about as well as yesterday's." She said motioning towards my second favorite shirt...a pink t-shirt that read 'yeaaaa….no' in big white letters on it.

"I thought I should try this shirt on the off chance the boys would get the hint. Apparently human boys are just as…" I said but stopped when her eyes got wide. I knew what I had done. I had clearly said 'human.' If you're human, you don't typically use the term. Again I had let myself feel comfortable with one of them and slipped.

"So you're _not_ human?" She said surprised. I was pretty sure they had figured that out or we're bouncing around some ideas. I just confirmed that I wasn't human. I am but…I don't consider myself human just like I don't consider myself vampire. I'm just me.

"We're done here." I said then walked away.

"Wait! Bella!" She called but I continued walking.

Damn-it all to hell! What is it with these vampires? She hadn't really said much to me but I felt comfortable and I slipped. I can't do that. This is bad. This is very bad.

I've only met two of the five and I've made two stupid mistakes. If I continue this the whole family would know everything about me.

But would that be so bad? I've met two of the family members and they seemed harmless and nice. They're not your typical vampires…but they're still vampires and I'm still not.

I can't trust anyone. I can't risk that.

Throughout the morning I kept a blank look on my face. I just didn't want to talk to anyone. Obviously I can't keep my mouth shut so it was best just to not talk to anyone. Vampire or human.

Unfortunately, Jessica had other ideas. She accosted me as we walked out of History.

"So…like I heard you were um like talking to Alice Cullen this morning in the parking lot."

"No Mike told you."

"Maybe. He said you and him were having a nice conversation when the little pixie devil walked up and told him to fuck off and threatened to hurt him."

I laughed. I honest to God laughed out loud.

"Not hardly and not like it's any of your business but yes I was talking to Mike and yes Alice did approach but he's the one that chose to runaway like the little bitch he is. Alice would never hurt him."

"So are you like her friend?"

"No."

"Oh that hurts Bella." Alice said appearing seemingly out of nowhere and as she feigned to be in pain. I had to laugh again. "Listen…I was thinking about our shopping trip and…"

"Alice, I told you already that…"

"Nope you're going with Rose and I. Friday after school." She said smiling from ear to ear.

"Why the hell would Bella want to go shopping with a freak like you and your _sister_?" Jessica said while crossing her arms. Alice shot her a stone cold glare. Jessica backed off a little bit as she clearly got nervous.

"And you're more than welcome to sit with us at lunch from now on. I'm sure the company and conversation at your current locale is less than stimulating." Alice chirped before skipping away.

"Bitch." Jessica mumbled. I just rolled my eyes and continued walking towards the cafeteria.

At lunch I opted to still sit with Jessica and her crowd, simply because I didn't feel right leaving Angela alone with them. Although I probably shouldn't really worry about her since she was spending time with them before I showed up.

I ignored their conversations though. I was too focused on listening to the Cullens' table, but they were being pretty mum. They weren't talking about anything. They were all just sitting there playing with their food.

The more I paid attention to them, the more I thought I could possibly be their friend. Maybe it would come in handy if I ever needed the "fire power" so to speak. If they're good vampires and would be willing to be on my side, I'd have a possible army of seven vampires behind me…No I can't think that way. I could never put this family in harms way.

Could I be their friend and keep them in the dark about my past?

"Honestly Isabella…give it a rest. Edward Cullen will never find you interesting." Lauren's nasally voice broke into my concentration.

"I wasn't…" I started to deny that I wasn't thinking about them…him. It of course was a lie.

"Is that it? Will you not go on a date with me because you would rather be with that freak?" Mike said.

"You asked Bella out? I thought we…" Jessica started.

"Have you seen her? We've all asked her out…" Tyler Crowley chimed in.

"Everyone but the one she apparently wants." Lauren chuckled.

"Yeah I guess she's now trying to make friends with the pixie to get close to Edward. They're going shopping." Jessica snarled.

"Oh that's just pathetic Bella!" Eric chimed in.

"I know right." Jessica laughed.

They were now officially talking about me like I wasn't even sitting at the table. I happened to glance towards the Cullen's table and saw all five sets of eyes on me again. I saw Edward move his lips ever so slightly and Alice shake her head no.

I sat there for another split second before abruptly standing up, probably faster than I should have.

"Oh this is ri-god-damn-diculous. You people are beyond…I don't even have words for you." I said then took a deep breath. "Angela, I'm sorry. I really do like you as a person but you need to get new friends. I'm outta here."

"Going to go sit with the freaks Bella?" Lauren asked.

"I just might. Sitting with those…_freaks_ would be a hell of lot more fun than sitting with people who have shit for brains." I said then walked away with my apple in hand. I walked right towards the Cullens' table but had no plans of stopping.

Even though I wasn't going to stop I knew what I had to do…even if I knew I shouldn't at the same time.

_I'm skipping…I'll be home the rest of the day._ I thought as I passed the table. Edward nodded slightly but didn't say anything to acknowledge that I had "said" anything to him.

**EPOV**

Alice had decided before we even arrived at school that she was going to try and get Bella to talk to her today. Her first attempt was in the parking lot. I was surprised when I heard Bella admit she wasn't human – albeit in a roundabout way but she did. Of course she realized her slip and took off.

"It won't be too hard." Alice said as she skipped back up to us.

"What do you mean?" Jasper asked.

"She wants to be our friend. She's fighting it. I don't need to see her mind or her future to know this."

I have no reason to doubt Alice but with both of us blind right now, it was hard to believe her. I really, really want to though. Simply because I want to get to know Bella more. The fact that I can't read her mind unless she lets me is just…it's fascinating to me. She fascinates me. She intrigues me.

There's something about her that draws me in. I can't keep my eyes or thoughts off of her. Always thinking of her worries me though. She can read my mind and if she happens upon the information that I'm always thinking of her expressive brown eyes, or the curve of her lips, or the way her hair shines, or the way she blushes….

Wait, she blushes. How can she not be human? Ugh this is so frustrating!

No matter how much I want to get to know her for personal reasons…I know I need to first and foremost because she's a mystery to us and when you are what we are, you can't have unsolved mysteries surrounding you.

Plus, I can't forget Carlisle. Carlisle is definitely hiding something and it somehow relates to Bella. He knows what's going on. He knows her. It's the only explanation I can come up with. He hasn't let me in his mind since the second we said Bella's name. There's something he's not prepared for us to know.

He better get prepared because Alice is dead set on opening her up and if there's anything I know it's that Alice will not relent until she gets what she wants.

---

As normal, I slid through my morning classes unnoticed, but slower than usual. As I sat through the mundane lessons, my mind strayed and of course it chose to stray to Bella.

She looked so fragile and yet somehow at the same time she looked like she could easily take care of herself. She acted shy yet at the same time I had the gut feeling she was nothing of the sort. She blushed and breathed like a human but at the same time her skin and mind reflected that of a vampire – or something nonhuman at least.

She's a walking contradiction. An absolutely beautiful mind-boggling contradiction.

I was suddenly very anxious for lunch and biology.

As Alice and I were walking to the lunchroom, she spotted Bella walking with the annoying Jessica Stanley.

"I'm going to talk to Bella. See you at the table." She sang and pranced off before I could stop her. I headed on and met up with everyone else.

"Where's Ali?" Jasper asked.

"She stopped to talk to Bella." I said right as Alice walked up and sat down. "So?"

"We're going shopping Friday after school." She said grinning.

"Oh that's sure to be fun." Rose said obviously sarcastic.

"Glad you think so since you'll be coming along." Alice said blatantly ignoring Rose's tone. Rose started to fight her on it but for some reason decided against it. After that quick exchange we were all quiet again. It was almost like a nervous quiet though. None of us ever minded the quiet but this time it felt like there was some sort of tension in the air – or it could have just been me.

But since my siblings weren't talking, I decided to eavesdrop on the conversations around me…okay…only one.

"Honestly Isabella…give it a rest. Edward Cullen will never find you interesting." Lauren Mallory sneered. _"Like anyone would. Slut..."_ She finished in her head.

"I wasn't…" Bella started to say something but Newton interrupted her.

"Is that it? Will you not go on a date with me because you would rather be with that freak?"

_WHAT?!_ He asked her on a date? I knew he had been talking to her this morning and that Alice had "rescued" her from him but I hadn't heard him ask her out. If I had I would have been standing right next to Alice when she walked over there. Deep down I knew he probably would at some point ask her out. Hell he asked anything that had a pussy out, but Bella? What the hell was he thinking? How could he possibly think he was good enough for Bella? No one can touch my Bella….

_Wait, _my_ Bella? Where did that come from? Am I….no I couldn't be jealous? Could I?_ _Plus she said 'no.' Yeah that's right she said 'no.'_

"You okay bro?" Emmett asked.

"Oh…fine. Um just listening to them give Bella shit for something stupid."

"What are they saying?"

"Nothing but she's getting pissed and they're talking about her like she's not even there." I said then paused as we all looked her direction. "Can you see her yet? If she's going to flip her lid…" I quickly whispered.

"I still can't see her." Alice whispered back as she shook her head. About that time Bella stood abruptly, probably faster than human eyes could process. We instantly tensed at the possible repercussions if she really did flip her lid in the cafeteria.

"Oh this is ri-god-damn-diculous. You people are beyond…I don't even have words for you." She said then took a calming breath which calmed us in turn. "Angela, I'm sorry. I really do like you as a person but you need to get new friends. I'm outta here."

"Going to go sit with the freaks Bella?" Lauren asked. These people never got new material. We had been referred to as 'freaks' since the first day we moved to this small town and didn't fit any of their already in place cliques. Honestly I think they're the freaks.

Bella's response to what Lauren had said made me want to smile from ear to ear, but I knew I had to keep my straight face in place. If she was truly going to come sit with us, we all had to remain indifferent about it and act like it was completely normal. And we couldn't start our questioning here. No way in hell.

She was clearly walking in our direction but she had a look on her face that told us she was on a mission and told me she wasn't planning on sticking around. I was staring right at her when her melodious voice filled my head again.

"_I'm skipping…I'll be home the rest of the day." _She thought while looking directly at me. I nodded my head acknowledging that I heard and understood what she wanted.

"Well?" My four siblings asked impatiently.

"She's skipping the rest of the day and will be at home. I would imagine we're more than welcome to show up now or later. I vote now, but if you all want to wait…"

"No now." Jasper said as he stood up.

"I'll call Carlisle and Esme." Emmett said.

"Not yet." Alice stopped him. "Let's ask her first if she would mind two more or she wants to keep it just us."

"I think that's wise seeing as Carlisle is definitely hiding something form us." I said.

"You noticed that too? I thought I was just being overly paranoid because we don't know anything about this Bella chick." Rose said.

"No. He definitely is. He's been reciting his medical journals since last night. I can't read anything from him. I think we should get all the information we can out of Bella before we bring Carlisle and Esme into the picture."

"Agreed." They all nodded as the rest of stood up to join Jasper.

"Do we know where she lives?" Emmett asked.

"Yes. She showed me quickly before her mind went silent again." I said as we walked out of the cafeteria doors and towards my car.

After a short and another quiet time, we arrived outside of Bella's house. I pulled up into the driveway and shut off the engine. We all sat there for a second longer before my excitement and nervousness finally took over and I got out of the car. The rest of them followed me.

I listened to see if I could hear her in the house but there wasn't a sound of movement or thoughts anywhere in there. I was the first to the front door but before I could knock the door swung open.

"I guess I'm not surprised you wouldn't wait until the end of the day." She said smiling as she stepped aside to let us inside. "Please make yourselves at home." She added as she made herself comfortable in a recliner. The rest of us followed and sat down on the available pieces of furniture.

"So…I think you have some questions for me, right?"


	5. Chapter 4

**A/N: Another split POV chapter…odd for me, but I couldn't figure out how to write this without it being in Edward's POV at some point. **

**I'm not sure what my writing schedule will be like this week. I currently am pretty sick…fighting a heavy cold and laryngitis, but I'll try to get something posted within my week schedule. **

**Chapter 4**

* * *

**BPOV**

From the second I left the lunchroom I have been preparing myself for the arrival of the Cullens. I knew the second I told Edward I was going home, they would follow. There was no way they would sit through the rest of the school day knowing I was willing to answer their questions now.

I'm not even sure I know when I decided to tell them. I believe it was while Lauren and Jessica were dogging me like I wasn't even sitting at the table. But before I really even knew what I was doing I was walking towards the Cullens and telling them to meet me at my house. I don't regret that decision at all. I know that not only can I obviously not keep my mouth shut around them, I don't want to.

I want them to know me. I want to know them. I want to spend time with Alice. I want to claim Emmett and Jasper as brothers. I want to try and figure out Rosalie and why she seems to be so cold towards people. I want to meet their parents.

Most of all…I want to get to know Edward. I want to know everything about him. I want to know his favorite things. I want to know his story. And I want to do it without reading his mind. I want him to tell me. I want him to want to know me as well. I'm drawn to him. I can't stop thinking about him. Every thought that crosses my mind deals with Edward. I want him to want me.

But he can't want me. It's not safe for him to want me. It's not safe for anyone. I'm destined to be alone for the rest of my existence.

"I guess I'll go first." Jasper said breaking the awkward silence after I invited them in. I nodded letting him know I was ready. "What are you?"

I knew this was going to be their first question.

"I am neither human nor vampire." I said then paused for a second looking around at their expressions. They were confused. "I'm both."

"Both?" Emmett asked.

"Yes both. I was born to a human mother and vampire father."

"That's possible?!" They all asked.

"Obviously." I laughed.

"But how could a human carry a vampire baby?" Edward asked.

"Well from what I know, which isn't much…she carried me for about three weeks before disappearing into the woods outside of her hometown to give birth to me. The birth killed her. I killed her. I was too strong for her and she bleed to death. I know we were alone for only a short time until Nina and Neil found us…"

"Nina and Neil?" Alice asked.

"Yes, the vampires who raised me. They found us. My mother, Renee, gave me to Nina to raise. She gave me this locket." I said as I finger it around my neck. "It's a picture of her and her human fiancé. She also told Nina what to name me. It was her last breath."

"Who's your father?" Jasper asked.

"I do not know. No one knows. Renee was unable to tell Nina and Neil before she died and neither Nina nor Neil knew who had been roaming the area. Obviously it was a nomad. Someone who doesn't set up roots anywhere like we do, but I have no idea."

"Where are Nina and Neil now?" Edward asked. I should have expected this question. As soon as I mentioned who found me and raised me, I should have known. But I didn't and I was prepared for it. The emotions associated with the loss of my family hit me hard and I started tearing up. I tried to hide them but it was impossible.

"Are you crying?" Emmett asked.

"Sorry."

"You _can_ cry?" Rose asked.

"Yes. I can cry. I can do a lot of things that humans can do. As I'm sure you know I have a pulse. I do have blood flowing through my veins…as well as venom. But I'm not poisonous. I can't transform anyone. I have skin like you do. It's stone and hard to penetrate but not as hard as yours. I'm not as strong as you but I'm not weak like humans…"

"What do you eat?" Edward asked.

"I can eat anything I want….human food or blood. I prefer blood though. Animal blood." I clarified.

"You don't kill humans?" Emmett asked.

"No. I can't kill humans. I mentally can't do it. I'm part human, remember. It's always felt wrong to me. I think even if Nina and Neil hadn't raised me to feed off of animals, I still would have."

"They kill animals for food and not humans?" Alice asked.

"Yes. They fed off of animals." I said hanging my head a little bit again.

"Fed? They don't anymore?" Jasper asked.

"They're dead." I said.

"We're sorry." They all said.

"It's in the past." I sniffed. "So anything else you want to know?"

"Um….exactly how does your power works. It's got us all very on edge and confused." Alice said.

"Well…I have the ability to read minds, but I can turn it off when I want to. I can block the voices out."

"Must be nice." Edward mumbled.

"Yes it is. I have it…off…right now. I try not to read the minds of people I know." I said, careful not to use the word family or friends, since I no longer have any, it doesn't apply to me. The thought of not having friends and family is definitely depressing. But I would have to get use to it.

"What about your family." Jasper asked with a strange look in his eyes.

"I don't have any anymore. When I lost Nina and Neil, I lost my only family. I guess I don't really have friends either."

"Nonsense! You have us." Alice said.

"You shouldn't be my friends. I'm not good for you." I said.

"That's bullshit. We're your friends." Emmett said.

"You shouldn't be." I said. "So my next power…I have a shield." I said quickly, hoping to change the subject.

"A shield?" All but Edward asked.

"Yes. I can block any mental powers, keeping them out of my head." I said then grinned. "This is why Edward can't read my mind."

"Unless you let me. What's up with that?"

"I can lift my shield off of me, so to speak. It's dangerous of course, because then I'm vulnerable for attacks. I don't do it often. I should never do it."

"Is this why you can't read her?" Rose asked Alice. I cocked an eyebrow at them.

"Maybe." Alice answered.

"The only person I've been blocking is Edward. I can feel when someone tries to break through my shield. Edward's the only one I feel."

"You mean you haven't noticed Alice trying to read your future?" Edward asked.

"No. My shield shouldn't affect that power anyways. It's not something controlled by my mind."

"So why can't Alice read your future?" Jasper asked. I just shrugged my shoulders.

"Can you lift your shield just to see though? I'd really like to be able to see…" Alice said but trailed off.

"Um…well I don't know. It's not safe for me to leave myself unprotected…"

"Who's going to attack you here? It's just us." Emmett said raising an eyebrow. Edward looked at me questioningly as well.

"Okay. Here goes nothing." I said then lifted my shield. I tried not to think about why I was nervous for lifting my shield because I knew Edward would be listening to me. I started thinking about anything except why I was running.

"I've got nothing." Alice said interrupting the silence. The look on her face was that of complete concern.

"It's no big deal. So what you can't read my future? It's okay. I've survived over 100 years without knowing my future. It's honestly no big deal." I shrugged. Granted knowing when someone was going to attack would be great, but my ability to read minds had given me benefits. I would get enough time to react…I hoped.

"Well see it's…" She hesitated looking at her family. "Well I can't see anyone's future that you interact with."

"So right now you can't see your futures?" I asked. Alice shook her head. "No big deal either. After this I'll just stay out of your lives. It's better that way anyways."

This works out good. If their future seeing vampire couldn't see them when I'm with them, then they won't put up a fight with not being associated with me.

"That won't work." Alice said.

"What do you mean Alice?" Edward asked with his eyebrows knitted together.

"Yeah what do you mean? It's not good for you to be friends with me so we just won't be."

"It's too late." She said.

"What do you mean?" Jasper asked.

"I _have_ to lean how to read her." Alice said ignoring Jasper's question.

"Why is it such a big deal?" Rose asked.

"Because until I can read her, I can't read any of us."

"But if I'm not in your life…"

"You can't leave. It's too late. The second you walked into the Biology room, I lost Edward's entire future…I lost all of ours. I can't see anything at all. I've been completely blind since you showed up in that classroom. Some decision was made…you never leave us Bella. We're your family now."

"No." I said standing up. "No. Leave. Leave now. You have to leave. I can't…no. I'm out of your lives from here out. I'm leaving Forks." I said then headed out the back door towards the forest behind my house.

Alice is lying. Nothing will make me stay in this town. I will not…I refuse to screw up their lives. I will leave Forks tonight. I will leave their lives. They will not suffer because of me. Edward will not….

Oh Edward. Leaving will be harder than I thought. Just the mention of Edward made my heart clench. I'm not sure why I'm feeling an ache in my heart, but no denying it's there.

_That's not good. You're falling for him. Leave now before it's too late._

Alice's word came back to me haunting me, _"It's too late."_

It's not too late. It can't be. I'm gone. Decision made and final.

**EPOV**

We stood watching Bella disappear into the forest behind the house. I was still trying to grasp what Alice had just told us. We all had completely disappeared from her sight?

"Alice…"

"Edward, I've been keeping you out of my mind not to hide something, but to hide nothing. I was hoping I could get this figured out, but I just don't know. I can't see anything. Nothing at all. I have no idea if we're safe…all I know is that I have to figure it out."

"But she just said she was leaving so that means our futures should have come back into…" Rose said.

"That's right. Try again Alice." Emmett said.

Alice concentrated on seeing her own future. She saw some flashes, but nothing that was clear. I couldn't make anything out and then it was gone just like that.

I don't know what's going on with Bella, but she's afraid of something…or someone out there. She's running from something. I caught that word in her mind before she blocked me again. She's hiding from something. Something that she thinks will affect us and put us in danger some how.

I can't let her go. She needs to stay with us. I need to protect her from whatever she's running from. She can't fight it alone. Surely she must know this?

"Why do you think you can't see her though? If she's not blocking you?" Rose asked.

"Do you think it has something to do with what she is?" Jasper asked.

"I suppose. I mean…I've never been exposed to something besides human and vampire. She's both. Maybe I need to look for something different. Look in a different way. I really have no idea." Alice answered.

"Well if she leaves you'll never get it figure it out." I said staring off towards the forest.

"You aren't going to let her go, are you?" Alice asked smiling.

"I can't." I said.

"You're the reason she never leaves us. It makes sense now. I see it now. I understand. Our futures disappeared the second she walked into the class because the second she did, _you_ made a decision to never let her go. Even you didn't realize it at the time, you did."

"I know this now. There's something about Bella. I don't know, but I have to be with her. I have to protect her. I won't let her run away. I don't care if she thinks she has to protect us from whatever it is, she needs us to protect her." I said walking towards the forest.

"Where are you going?" Emmett asked.

"To find her and bring her back. Go home. I'll see you there." I said then left out the back door.

I picked up on her trail instantly and took off running. As her scent got stronger I knew I was catching up to her. And even though I knew she probably wouldn't be listening for me or for anyone. I started screaming to her in my head, while also saying her name out loud.

"Bella?" I called. "Bella?"

"Go away Edward." She said but I couldn't see her.

"No. I refuse to leave." I said feeling kind of stupid speaking to nothing, but I couldn't see her, I couldn't find her, and she wasn't revealing herself.

"You have to leave. I have to leave." Bella said.

"No. I'm not going anywhere and neither are you." I said looking around again.

"You are so stubborn." She said as she suddenly appeared in front of me. "What do you want?"

"I want you to come back home with me."

"No. I'm…." She started to say something but stopped. "Look Edward, just know that you and your family are in danger with me being here. Especially if Alice can't see your future. She can't see if anything comes after you. I have to leave."

"Don't you get it? If you stay, Alice can learn to see you and then we can protect you. We can be your family. I can be your family." I said then took her hands. "I want to take care of you. I want to protect you…"

"You don't know what you're saying."

"I damn well know what I'm saying. There's nothing to be confused about. I'm the reason all our futures are gone. I'm not going to let you go."

"You _have_ to Edward!" She practically screamed. "I can't be part of your life. Don't you get it? If I'm part of your life, you'll die. You'll die just like Nina and Neil! Just like Renee! I kill everyone I care for…everyone I love always dies and it's always my fault!"

I watched as she became almost inconsolable and cried her eyes out. I did the only thing that seemed right. I took her into my arms and held her. Her body shook with her tears as I felt them dampen my shirt. Her breathing was erratic and occasionally she would suck in air trying to calm herself. She felt so warm and soft and vulnerable in my arms. She felt human.

"I can't…" She started but she still hadn't been able to calm down enough to speak.

"Don't talk…" I said as I smoothed her hair down and continued to hold her.

"I refuse to be the reason you die." She finally got out.

"Bella, I don't know why you think that way or what you're afraid of, but I know that I want to protect you." I said then pulled her away from my chest and looked down into her brown eyes. "I want you to stay."

"I can't Edward. Please understand…"

"Bella, I can't explain why I feel the way I do, but I can't let you just walk out of my life. I need to have you in it. I just know you belong here with me. With my family." I said then took a chance. I leaned down, slowly. She didn't pull away from me but also didn't lean into me either. "Isabella…"

"Edward?"

"I think I could find myself falling in love with you."

"Don't say that." She said closing her eyes as another tear escaped.

"But I want to say it. I believe it's the truth. You're everything I've been looking for. It's only taken me a century, but I know I've found you…."

"I ca…"

"Shut-up." I laughed interrupting her. "I don't want to hear you're not good for me, because you're prefect for me. I don't want to hear any excuse about protecting me from some mystery danger. I just want to hear that you feel the same." I said pausing. "And if you don't feel the same, then I'll let you leave Forks. I'll let you do whatever it is that you think you need to do."

I stood there, my lips inches from her mouth looking into her now open eyes. I stood trying to read her thoughts through her eyes. The battle raging within her was clear as day. The fact that she was battling with herself, gave me hope that she could possibly decide to stay.

I closed the distance between our lips and pressed firmly but passionately. An indescribable current of electricity shot through me. I'm pretty sure if I had a beating heart it would have sped up. My hands wound through her silk hair and held her tighter to me.

Then the most gorgeous thing happened. She started moving her lips with mine and she moaned into my mouth.

Her hands danced up my sides and around my neck, gripping me strong. I felt her tongue glide along my bottom lip asking permission – which I granted instantly.

We fit perfectly. There was no other way to describe it. Sheer perfection – then she pulled away.

"Okay." She said simply.

"Okay?" I asked as I leaned my forehead against hers. "Okay what, love?"

"I can't leave you either. I've never been able to leave you. I don't think I would have been able to…I've been inexplicably drawn to you since the moment I laid eyes on you."

"That means you're really staying?"

"I'll stay…for now, but I can't stay in one place for very long. It's not safe. He'll find me."

"Who will find you?" I asked suddenly very tense.

"The person I've been running from, the person who killed Nina and Neil, the…vampire that _will_ kill you while trying to get to me."

"We'll protect you. I'll protect you."

"But Alice can't see…"

"She'll work on it. She'll learn to see you. I'm not letting you leave us. We'll travel together. I'll go with you. I'll run with you."

"You can't leave your family. I know the pain involved in that."

"Why are you so afraid of this vampire?"

"He's…I…" She started to say but the tears came crashing down again. "I do want to tell you." She choked out.

"It's okay sweetheart."

"His name is James. He's…obsessed with me. Has been for a few years. I turned him down and he just…he told me he would kill me before he let me be with anyone else. If he finds me…and I'm with you, he'll kill you then he'll kill your family…and then he'll kill me after watching you all die."

"It'll be one against eight…."

"He's very strong. He killed Nina and Neil while…he forced me to watch them die. I managed to get away but I couldn't save them. He's a tracker. He will find me and then he'll…" She said but had stop again.

"Shhhh…." I said comforting her then kissed her forehead.

I didn't know what else to say. I just wanted to comfort her. I just wanted to make her feel safe.

"Come home with me." I finally said.

"No…I can't. I need to stay at my house, by myself. Don't argue with me on this. Until Alice can read me, I'm keeping distance between me and your family as much as I can stand. If for some reason he shows up, I don't want him to know I'm in…that I'm with you."

"But if you're here by yourself then…"

"Then no one else will get hurt if he shows up. I told you not to argue with me about this." I said sternly. He just looked at me. "Let's go back to the house. I'm sure you send your family home already. You should go too. I'll see you tomorrow at school…."

"I'll pick you up in the morning."

"You drive your family, how will they get to…"

"They have their own cars. I'll pick you up for school tomorrow." I said as we took off running towards the house again.

"Okay." She finally relented.

"Okay." I smiled at her.

---

As expected my family was waiting to pounce when I walked in the front door.

"I can't stand not knowing! This sucks!" Alice said bouncing around like a little jack hammer.

"Please tell her so she'll calm down." Jasper begged.

"You mean you can't calm her down yourself?" I laughed.

"It's not working." Jasper grumbled.

"She's staying, yes. You'll see her tomorrow at school. I'm picking her up in the morning so you'll have to drive yourselves."

"How'd you get her to stay?" Emmett asked.

"I kissed her." I smiled.

"You kissed her!?!" They all exclaimed. I just laughed.

"She kissed me back. I'm not really sure what we are, but I don't care. She's not leaving."

"Do you know what she's afraid of?" Jasper asked.

"Ummm…yeah. I guess there's a vampire named James that killed her family and is after her. He's a tracker so I'm pretty positive he'll show up here looking for her." I said to my family then looked directly at Alice. "You need to figure out how to read her. We have to be prepared."

"I'm working on it Edward. I promise I'm trying my hardest. I'm pretty sure I'm giving myself a headache trying." She grinned. "Trust me, I know how much I need to be able to do this."

"I know you do." I said then went to my room to think about my Bella.


	6. Chapter 5

**A/N: Wow so the holiday kicked my ass! Aside from your typical family drama – I worked 40 hours in 3 ½ days and I was sick. So…yeah…that's why this chapter is slightly later than I wanted to get it out to you.**

**We're getting closer to the good stuff!!! :-)**

**Enjoy!**

**Chapter 5**

* * *

**EPOV**

I hadn't been in my room but a few minutes when I heard Carlisle arrive home from work. I had already decided that I needed to have a talk with him.

I have to find out what he's hiding…what he knows about Bella. It's going to be damn near impossible to get him to talk though. Especially in the house with listening ears.

I also wanted to talk to him about what I was feeling for her. Honestly, it was scaring me to no end. The feelings that have been washing over me now for two days. They're indescribable…and frightening as shit. I've never felt this way – not in my seventeen years as human and certainly not as my one hundred as vampire.

I want to see her every second of every day. I want to protect her. I want to hold her. I want to touch her…like really touch her. I want to feel the way her lips felt against mine again, but I don't want it to ever stop. I want to love her. I've never…done _that_ with anyone in my life or existence, but I know for sure I want to share that with Bella.

I know I can't live a day without her in my life ever again. I can never let her go. I'm too far into this now.

"Carlisle." I said meeting him in the hallway as he made his way to his office.

"Edward." He said stiffly noting my stance.

"I'd like to discuss a few things with you."

"_Bella?"_ He asked in his head. I nodded. _"I don't feel it's any of your business."_

"Bullshit…it's got everything to do with me…" I practically yelled. "I'm falling in love with her." I added in a whisper hoping no one would hear if they were listening.

"You don't know her son."

"It doesn't matter. Did you know Esme…?"

"No I suppose I didn't." He sighed. _"What does everyone already know?"_

"Enough but I want more. I want to know what you know."

"_Okay, but I want Bella here when we talk. This concerns her more than you."_

I should have assumed he'd do that. Of course he wouldn't want to talk about Bella without her being present. That's just not how he works. Frustrating as hell to me, but the right thing to do.

I nodded my head stiffly in agreement then starting walking away from him.

"_You really are falling in love aren't you son?"_

"I am and it scares the hell out of Carlisle."

"It should." He laughed. "I know when I realized I was in love with a complete stranger…someone I had never met once in my life before, well I was scared shitless too."

"How did you handle it?"

"I followed my heart."

"We don't have…."

"We do, Edward. It may not beat like a human's heart, but we still have one. It's what draws you to her. It's what is telling you what to do now. Your brain no longer has a say in anything that concerns that girl."

"But what do I do? I've never felt like this before."

"Listen and trust." He said then left me in the hallway quicker than I could even read his thoughts of leaving me alone.

Well hell. I have absolutely no idea what the man is talking about, and it certainly hasn't helped my thought process at all. I'm still scared out of mind. And confused. I haven't been _confused_ in a hundred years.

---

Six hours later I was pulling up to Bella's house to pick her up for school. I was nervous. Why? I have no idea but I was. I was nervous she would change her mind. I was afraid she left last night after all. Which was stupid because I could hear movement coming from her home. I knew she was still there, but my nerves couldn't let me believe it.

I still couldn't believe it even as she walked out of her front door. She looked like a dream – well if I could dream she looked like what my dreams would look like. She had tight low slung jeans on that had rips at the knees and looked well worn and dirty. The hugged her perfectly. The way her hips swung as she walked towards me was mesmerizing. She was wearing an old Led Zepplin concert tour t-shirt which she had obviously altered to be sexier than when she bought it. The shirt itself was tight fitting and then she had cut a v-neck into it revealing more cleavage than her previous outfits. She had also cut the bottom him line to make the shirt shorter and as she bounced her way to my car, little slivers of mid-drift kept peaking out. And for the first time since she appeared in Forks, she was wearing tennis shoes and not heels. I love it.

Her hair was down and swaying with her movements. Her face light with makeup and a beautiful smile.

She is perfect. I love her.

"Morning." She chimed as she climbed in my car. I couldn't help but take in her figure as she sat down in my car.

_Shit…I should have got out and opened her door. If I hadn't been ogling her…like I am now…_

My thoughts were interrupted with her laughter. I looked up from her chest and saw the cutest blush color her cheeks.

_Right. Mind reader too. I've got to remember that. Wait a minute…_

"I thought you said you don't read the minds of your friends?" I said defensively.

"I don't make a habit out of it, no but..." She laughed again. "You were practically drooling and I definitely don't need to be able to read minds to know what you were thinking."

"Oh." Was my spectacular response but then I thought of a way to redeem myself. "Well it's not my fault you look incredibly sexy today. I'm gonna have a difficult day listening to the endless fantasies of the stupid human males."

"What this old outfit?" She said smiling. "I've had this shirt for thirty years. Bought it at concert back in the 70s. One of the best shows I've ever been too."

"Hmmm…well you look amazing." I said then leaned across the car and kissed her. I only meant for it to be a quick peck but it rapidly changed into a passionate heated exploration of her mouth with my tongue.

Until she pulled away – again.

"We're gonna be late."

"Who cares?" I said going in for another kiss.

"I do." She laughed. "Let's go Romeo."

"Alright." I said then quickly stole another kiss before backing out of her driveway. She just laughed at me. "You really do look….delicious." I finally decided on a word.

"Well thank you…although I'm surprised. I got up late and had to rush around getting ready. I just threw on one of my last clean outfits."

"Got up late?" I asked confused yet again.

"Oh…yeah I guess I forgot to tell you guys. I can sleep if I want to. I didn't really want to last night but I guess I fell asleep sometime after four this morning. My body must have been exhausted or just wanted me to have the amazing dream I was awakened from."

"Wait…you can sleep? You dream?" I asked still shocked.

"Yeah I can. I haven't really…_let_ myself dream for a few weeks now but now all I dream about is you." She said then ducked her head and blushed again.

"Don't be embarrassed, love. If I could dream it would be of only you. Always only you – forever." I said reaching over and lifting her chin with my finger so I could look into her deep brown eyes. "So tell me about this dream."

This caused her to blush a deeper shade of crimson which caused me to laugh but get a little anxious at the same time. She was dreaming about me…sexually. Just the thought of her having _those_ kinds of thoughts about me excited me.

And as much as I wanted to know about the dream, I figured she wasn't going to tell me by her reaction. Of course at the same time it's probably a good thing she isn't going to tell me the particulars – at this point if she did, the odds of us making it to school today would diminish severely.

But she spoke.

"Well…" She said seductively as she reached her little hand over and placed it on my upper thigh. I tensed immediately.

_Oh shit. She's going to tell me and she's going to do it while touching me…_

"We were alone in a gorgeous meadow…talking…"

_Oh talking. That's not bad. I can deal with talking._

"But then you laid me down on the blanket and started exploring my body with you tongue. You had me wriggling beneath you – begging you to just…" She said as she slowly ran her hand higher up on my leg. She was also leaning into me now. I could feel her breasts on my upper arm. Her warm breath fanned over my skin.

Her little hand was now gently massaging my thigh, slowly…painfully slowly inching higher and higher and…

_Abort! Abort! Abort! _

"I was just begging you to take me in that meadow, on that blanket. You had relented to my needing and then…"

_Shit! Shit! Shit!_

She needs to stop or I'm going to lose it here as we pull into the school parking lot. But I can't form any complete thoughts to tell her to stop. And the masochist inside me wants to know what happened next….

"Then what?" I practically growled at her. She was all but in my lap now. Her hand still so close but not touching my now very pronounced erection – something I was not used to feeling.

She leaned completely into me, pressing her body to mine tightly. Her lips resting against my ear. Her one hand still on my thigh, the other now resting on my upper chest.

"You…pulled…into my driveway and woke me up." She breathed before laughing and jumping out of my car.

_Un-fucking-believable!_

I sat there for the longest second trying to figure out what just happened. She had gotten me to a point of no return. There is no doubt that I will be spending the rest of the day – possibly the rest of my life imagining the rest of the dream. I was never going to get it out of my head. And worst of all – I was now incredibly turned-on and getting ready to start another day of school.

I adjusted myself before I got out of my car. She was leaning against the front of my car with her arms crossed under her chest, lifting it up even further. She looked almost smug.

"That…was an exceedingly mean thing to do Miss Swan." I whispered in her ear. She shivered then turned to face me. "You have put me in a very _hard_ predicament."

"And now Mr. Cullen, you will know what my day will be like." She said kissing me on the cheek then grabbing my hand and dragging me over to where Alice, Jasper, Rose, and Emmett were standing.

"_Problems man?" _Emmett thought raising an eyebrow at me. Jasper was trying not to laugh while the girls looked completely lost. Something Alice is not at all accustomed to.

"Shut it." I said to him and Jasper both.

"_Man…you're gonna have to tone down those _feelings_ or I'm gonna have an issue." _Jasper laughed in his head while grinning at me like a fool.

"I said shut it."I growled then shifted my body wait to hopefully help with my issue. My movement clued the girls into my problem.

"Oh this is great! Bella you're my new hero!" Alice laughed while jumping up and down. Rose just snickered at me.

"I'm thrilled that my family is getting their rocks off at my expense." I said glaring at each of them before resting my eyes on Bella who still looked smug.

Her response? She just shrugged and laughed at me.

We continued to stand in the quad and talk while the rest of the student body bustled around us trying to meet up with their friends or get to class.

I was trying to ignore the endless chatter about Bella and me but it was impossible. Everyone was talking about us. It seemed like I was the only one noticing but then I caught Bella glancing up at some of the passing students. She stared at them for a second as the stared right back at her. She growled under her breath and the two freshman flinched before running the other direction.

"Ignorant classless humans." She mumbled. "Sometimes I really hate that I have to claim that species as ancestors."

"What?" Alice asked.

"Oh it's just that everyone in this school is gossiping about Edward and me. It's beyond obnoxious. They've got nothing better than to assume things regarding us."

"Let them assume." Emmett shrugged.

"He's right hun. If we got worked up over every little thing that was said about us, we'd be fuming all the time. These people are just jealous because we're all…perfect." Rosalie laughed as she put her arm around Bella's shoulders.

I was surprised with her actions. Rosalie hadn't exactly seemed too keen on the idea of Bella joining our group. But with what she just said – including Bella in her statement of being perfect and then acting friendly just seemed odd. I looked over at Rose and raised an eyebrow at her. She noticed but said nothing; in fact she ignored me completely.

Even Bella looked taken aback by her actions and really surprised by her next sentence.

"So are you excited about shopping with the girls tomorrow? I know I am! I can't wait to get you into some dressing rooms and throw endless outfits at you. It's going to be so much fun!"

"It is Bella! Oh it's just going to be so wonderful…" Alice began excitedly as the three of them started walking away from us. Bella glanced back over her shoulder at me with pleading eyes but I just shrugged.

"Is Rose being nice?" Jasper asked.

"Umm…yeah." I hesitated. "And the weird thing is that her thoughts mirrored exactly what she was saying. I got no difference for once. She's never done that."

"You two need to give Rosie more credit. She's only a bitch to people we can't trust or don't know. We know Bella now and we trust her." Emmett shrugged. "She's my little sister now and Rose feels the same. We're going to protect her too Eddie."

"Do not call me Eddie." I growled then slapped him on the back. "But thanks man…I like knowing you're on my side in a fight."

"Em's right. She's your life now – that makes her our family. We protect our family." Jasper said.

I nodded then headed towards the school for another boring ass day of listening to monotone teachers drone on about worthless things.

The rest of the morning was shit. I all of about beat the life out of Newton. If it wasn't for the fact that Emmett was there and held onto me, I would have killed him. His thoughts about Bella went well past typical high school fantasies and then he went into calling her derogatory names assuming that I was finally dating a female because she probably "gave kick ass blow-jobs."

My breaking point was when he started trying to come up with a plan to get Bella alone and convince her to _share_ her skills with him.

Emmett's words of reason, reminding me that Bella definitely could take care of herself was the only thing that got me to walk out of the classroom with Newton still breathing.

Plus, I was on my way to lunch where I knew my Bella would be waiting for me.

We had all sat down already when Bella finally walked into the lunchroom – Jessica and Lauren hot on her heels. The daggers they were trying to throw at her were amusing but I still felt the need to step in and protect her from the hateful humans.

"Stupid fucking whore. I can only imagine what she did to him to get him to date her." Jessica said loud enough I know Bella heard her, especially since I heard her from across the room…

Bella had locked eyes with all of us and was smirking.

"No shit! But hey if Eddie's finally gotten over his anti-dating state of mind, then I have a chance." Lauren said.

"I know right! He'll drop this skank in a heartbeat for sure! He'll get what he wants out of her and come running to us. Then we can show him what a real woman's like." Jessica said as they sat down at their table. Bella continued walking over to us still smirking.

"I can only imagine what kind of whore her mother was…" Lauren hissed as Bella walked by.

Everyone single one of us stiffened with the instant expression on Bella's face. Bella stopped dead in her tracks. I immediately stood up to keep her from doing what I wanted to do Newton earlier – and now of course the bitches.

"_Don't you fucking think about it Cullen."_ Bella's voice rang in my head with so much hostility it made me flinch. I stopped moving but kept myself ready to get to her if I thought she was going to expose us all.

I may love this creature but I would not risk that secret.

I watched…we all watched…as Bella turned on her heels and walked over to the table where the two girls were sitting. I can only imagine what Bella's face actually looked like but judging by how quickly and how far both girls recoiled into their chairs, it was probably pretty menacing.

They looked even more frightened as Bella leaned down to whisper into Lauren's ear.

"Lauren, I'd be more worried about your mother than mine. Only someone with no class, no brains, and no couth could produce something as ugly as you. You deserve absolutely nothing good in life…except maybe a real good wakeup call. One day you might grow up to realize how petty and just plain ignorant you're being right now…and when that day comes, I hope it's not too late for you." She said before pulling away from her and looking at her with a blank expression except for a slightly raised eyebrow.

Lauren just sat there staring at her, shaking. Jessica was trembling as well. The other three at the table were just staring with open mouths.

"Good afternoon Ange." Bella added smiling at Angela before walking away from their table and to ours where we were all also staring with slightly gaping mouths.

"Bells! That's was great!" Emmett roared. Bella just looked at him before sitting down next to me and resting her head on my shoulder.

"I would have ripped her head off!" Rose exclaimed.

"I wanted to." Bella sighed.

"No shit! The amount of anger rolling off of you was almost unbearable…I wanted to try and calm you but it just wasn't helping." Jasper said. Bella shot him an interesting look. "Oh…I can control emotions."

"I see." Was all she said before laying her head back on my shoulder.

"Amazing." I whispered in her ear before kissing her forehead. I wasn't talking about her performance. I was talking about the gorgeous creature with her head on me. It would never be clearer to me than in that moment that she was my everything – for always. I love this woman.

"It was pretty incredible huh?" She laughed.

"Not that, love. I was talking about you. It's amazing that you're here with me, touching me. It's amazing. You're amazing."

She lifted her head up off my shoulder, smiling at me…more like beaming.

"No matter what any of these humans say about you…about us, know that I love you. With everything that I have. I love you Bella. I don't know how, but I do. I never would have thought in the span of two days that I would fall in love. It seems absolutely impossible and just foolish, but I do and I'm never going to deny it."

"I…" she started. I wasn't blind to the slight hesitation in her voice or eyes. She was battling something and the only thing that gave me slight comfort was that she was still smiling. Eventually she quit fighting with herself and spoke again. "I love you too Edward." She whispered before leaning up and pressing her soft lips gently to mine.


	7. Chapter 6

******THIS IS JUST A RE-POST! I DID NOT REWRITE CHAPTER 6! I FOUND A LITTLE MISTAKE ON MY PART AND FIXED IT. THIS FIX DOESN'T ALTER THE STORY AT ALL - I'M JUST OCD AND HAD TO FIX IT AS SOON AS I FOUND IT. SORRY! CHAPTER 7 WAS ALSO POSTED THOUGH. :)**

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A/N: I can't say this enough – you guys are awesome! I love all of your reviews and feedback. Just so you know I do read them all. I will also reply if I feel it's required/asked of me to. :) It's because of your reviews and support that I try to post as often as possible. I will tell you that this chapter is a tad bit shorter than I originally planned but once I started I realized that if I didn't cut it off it would have been too long.

We're really starting to get into the meat of the story. The action and drama and the lemons…. :) You know you want them!

I do want to say that yes I realize the relationship (all of them actually) is moving fast but I've read stories that drag things out and you end up with 50+ chapters…it just can make you tired of the story. I like to jump into everything quickly. It makes my stories shorter, but then I can write more stories for my faithful fans. I'm not dogging anyone out there who does write the longer stories, so don't get me wrong there. It's just I prefer the shorter stories. On average most of my stories will be anywhere between 10 and 20 chapters. Sometimes I'll go over that (like my two stories already posted), but rarely will they ever be shorter than 10 unless I bill it as a one shot.

I hope that addresses anyone's concerns about the fast pace of the romance. It's going to get steamy soon. Just FYI. I'll give you warning the chapter of so if you don't like to read those things you can skip over it or at least be prepared for it.

Much love!

**Chapter 6**

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**BPOV**

I couldn't be happier than I am right now. Edward loves me. And as much happiness as I feel, I also couldn't be more scared.

I know I shouldn't love him. I know he shouldn't love me. I know this is moving way to fast for anyone's sanity. But more importantly, I _know_ I've now put Edward and the rest of the Cullens in danger. I've all but handed their lives to James on a silver platter.

Nothing will stop him from hurting them. Alice can't even tell them when he's coming for them. They won't be able to stop him. If Neil and Nina were defenseless against him, even with me there to warn them of his thoughts, then the Cullens were as well. He took two out as easily as most take a human out. Even with seven to fight him, he would win.

I shouldn't still be here.

This is wrong.

But my dream last night felt so right. How could something so wrong _feel _so right? I know that sounds very cliché but it's the truth. I've never felt this way before about anything or anyone. The dream I had was amazing and I hadn't even gotten to the good part when I was awakened by the sound of a car pulling into my driveway. I hadn't meant to fall asleep. I meant to do a search of the area for any thing out of the ordinary. Instead I found myself in a beautiful meadow with Edward.

It was utterly blissful. No worries at all. We were carefree and in love. But that feeling shattered when I woke up with a start. I was shaking and my heart felt like it was going to beat through my chest.

The sound of tires hitting my driveway required me to jump to attention. I was so scared it took me longer than it should have to search for any surrounding thoughts. Luckily when I did I realized it was Edward. If it hadn't have been I could have possibly of been dead. I can't risk even a second's delay. With the realization of it being Edward, the dream I had been lost in came back to me – including the need for it to finish. And the need to see him.

I rushed around getting ready. It only took me five minutes to get completely dressed – but I was also slumming it today.

The look on Edward's face brought back the memories of the dream again. His eyes were dark with need as they shamelessly roamed my body. It made me vibrate with need and the ache I felt deep in my soul mirrored the ache I felt in between my leg.

When he kissed me, it only made my longing more pronounced. He was driving me absolutely crazy. It was so hard to behave myself when he was trying so hard to make me _not_ behave myself. With his teasing I felt it only fair to do the same to him and make him feel the same way I was going to feel all day. I wouldn't normally be so _forward_ with a guy – in fact up until Edward I had never been forward with a guy. Truth be told, I'd never even kissed someone…willingly that is.

My flirting with him worked better than I honestly expected it to. In fact I was pretty sure he was now in more of a predicament than I was. I almost felt bad for doing it to him.

---

I was floating on cloud nine most of the morning. After Rose's little pep talk, I ignored everyone and just happily stayed in my Edward bubble.

Until lunch. I was planning on ignoring them just like I had all morning, but then that bitch Lauren said something about my mom. My mom that died a hundred years ago giving birth to me. I lost it. I'm not even sure how I was able to not kill her. Probably knowing that if I did, not only would I expose myself but I would have exposed the Cullens.

As it turns out I might as well have exposed them. They might have fared better with that than having to deal with James when he finds me in love with another vampire.

I shouldn't have said it. I should have kept that feeling to myself. It would have made it easier when the time comes for me to leave. I'm not entirely sure I can leave, but I know I will have to make myself do it when the time comes to pick my life or theirs. I'll pick theirs every time.

The thought of leaving – just the thought – hurts my heart. I can feel it and I'm only thinking of doing it. I should have left as soon as I realized there were other vampires in the town. I shouldn't have let myself get this close to them. The amount of pain I'm going to feel…I'm going to be glad when James kills me.

"Love, is everything okay?" Edward whispered into my ear.

I snapped my head up and realized that we were still sitting in the lunch room but that everyone else had left us.

"Sorry." I said blushing as I realized he knew I had been spacing out.

"What were you thinking about?" He asked with an odd expression on his face. It didn't take me long to figure out why and I didn't even need to read his mind to do it.

"It still irks you that you can't read my mind doesn't it." I said in hopes of deflecting the conversation away from what I was thinking.

"It will definitely take some getting used to." He laughed as we stood up to make our way to Biology. I breathed a sigh of relief that the subject had moved on. It was a premature celebration. "So what were you thinking about? You were definitely not in the lunch room anymore. Everyone tried to get your attention before they left but you just sat there. I think Jasper was more than a little worried about what he was feeling coming from you."

"Well couldn't you have just figured out what I was feeling by reading his thoughts?" I asked still avoiding his actual question.

"No, he resorted to Alice's tactics and started reciting mind-numbing things."

"Oh."

"You're avoiding my question and it has me worried." He creased his forehead.

"I was just thinking about the future. No need to worry." I shrugged.

"You're lying. You're a horrible liar."

"Not true. I'm a very good liar. I have to be if I've been able to survive a hundred years as a vampire." I said not admitting I was lying but also not admitting that I wasn't.

"You're not going to tell me the truth are you?"

"I did Edward. I was thinking about the future." I said as we sat down in our seats just as the bell rang.

"We'll finish this tonight."

"Tonight?"

"Yes, you're coming home with me tonight to meet Carlisle and Esme. The girls want you to before you stay the night tomorrow night."

"I'm staying the night tomorrow night?"

"Didn't the girls tell you that? After shopping you're supposed to be coming back to the house for the weekend."

"Oh."

"Is that not okay with you?"

Was it okay? I wouldn't be able to do any type of security around my house if I wasn't there, but if I wasn't there it wouldn't really matter. But if I'm at their house when James shows up (because it's not _if_ he does, it's only a matter of time that he does), he will be able to trace my scent to there.

"You're worried about leading him to the house." Edward sighed with a roll of his eyes.

"Yes I am."

"He'll find us anyways because he'll be able to trace our scents there."

"But he doesn't have your…"

"He will. He'll be able to smell us on you and in your house. We've already been there once and I intend on spending as much time there as you'll let me." He said as he took my hand in his.

It was a useless battle with him. And until I had a legitimate reason to keep him from me, he wouldn't allow it. He probably wouldn't allow it anyways, but I will leave if it will save his life.

"Yeah I'll come over tonight and meet Carlisle and Esme. I'll also spend the weekend with you." I said before turning my attention to the teacher.

The rest of the school day went by relatively uneventful and fast. Edward and I left the parking lot first and got to the house before anyone else.

As we drove up the mile-long driveway I couldn't help but get lost in the green that surrounded us. The driveway was lined with nothing but trees, and in fact the driveway itself was almost overgrown. As soon as the trees broke I found us in front of a three-story white house.

It had almost a southern mansion feel to it. All of the windows in the front were floor to ceiling with dark green, almost black shutters framing them. The front door stood majestic looking in a dark mahogany wood.

Edward pulled his car into the garage and was quickly followed by Rose's BMW and Alice's Porsche. I was still in awe of the house that I almost didn't notice the other vehicles in the huge garage. There was an Aston Martin Vanquish along with an off-road equipped Jeep. Also a Mercedes SLR and another Mercedes S-Class.

"The Aston is my other car." Edward said grinning like a little kid on Christmas morning.

"It's beautiful." I said.

"The Jeep is mine Bells!" Emmett roared as he jumped out of Rosalie's car.

"So who…"

"The SLR is Esme's and the S is Carlisle's. They're both waiting in the house for you arrival." Alice chirped.

"No need in keeping them waiting." I said and headed towards what I assumed was the door into the house.

Alice was right, both Carlisle and Esme were standing in the hallway waiting on the six of us, but I couldn't pull my gaze away from the amazing house to even acknowledge the two of them.

The whole back wall of the house was nothing but windows giving a view of a lake. There was a grand staircase that was wide and curved its way up to the second floor and then on to the third.

The floors were all hardwood and beautiful. Everything was beautiful.

"Welcome Bella." The woman, who I assumed to be Esme, said breaking me out of my trance.

"Thank you. Your house is wonderful."

"Well thank you." She said then extended her hand. "I'm Esme. It's a great pleasure to meet you finally."

"You too as well." I said shaking her hand then turned to Carlisle. "You must be Carlisle then."

"Welcome Bella." He said shaking my hand as well.

"Thank you."

"So…" Edward said looking a little anxious.

"What my son is trying to get at is that I'd like to talk to you Bella. If you don't mind." Carlisle said.

"No I don't mind, but about what? I've already told them my story so I'm sure they've relayed the info on…"

"They have and that's what I'd like to discuss with you." He said then paused just a split second as I heard a low growl escape Edward. "My son's not happy. I'd like to speak to you alone, Bella."

"Um…not to be rude but I'd much rather have our conversation with everyone. They're all going to find out anyways."

"Yes this is true, but I'd rather you have some time to adjust before everyone else knows."

"I appreciate your kind thought but honestly I'd rather not have to go through something twice and I have a feeling this is going to be big news. And if it's as big as I think it's going to be, I'd like to have Edward with me at least." I said then glanced at all of the faces. It was obvious none of them knew what he would be telling me. They all had a mixture of curiosity and nervousness on their faces. Edward looked tenser than anyone else.

He probably already knew what was coming though.

"Edward has already heard my thoughts, as I can't block them any longer from him. This is why he looks like he wants to kill someone. Have you read…"

"I have not. I will not."

"Okay. Let's go sit in the living room then." He said gesturing towards the room behind us.

"Bella…you are half human, half vampire correct?" He finally added more.

"Yes." I nodded.

"You were born early 1900's…"

"1912 to be exact. Outside of Charleston."

"Yes." He said with a tone that made me think he already knew that.

"You knew that?"

"I knew you." He said calmly but was surrounded by audible gasps including my own.

"Do you…do you know who my father is?"

"I do." He said with a solemn nod of his head. Edward growled again.

"Carlisle! You didn't?!" Esme said.

"Of course I didn't. Bella is not mine, but I do know who fathered her…well who I assume fathered you. I can't be totally certain but all the facts and details add up. I was in Chicago at the time of your birth. I was working at the hospital. It was five years before I met Edward there but I digress. I was visited by an old friend one night in September, claiming he had impregnated a human woman. I thought he was full of it. That it could not be true. He told me he had, but that he was sure _it_ wouldn't survive since the human carrying it wasn't strong enough to live through it. He had left her, Renee, at her house the second he realized what had happened. He didn't plan on going back – ever."

"Who is _he_?" Rose asked. I wanted to know the same thing. Carlisle ignored her question though.

"He asked me to keep an eye out for the creature, should it survive, and then notify him immediately and then as quickly as he appeared at my door he was gone. I haven't spoken to him since. But I did become aware of your survival not two months later."

"Nina and Neil?" I asked.

"Yes, they came to me with you wrapped up in blankets. They were kind creatures and I'm so terribly sorry for your loss. They wanted me to look you over. Told me where they found you and your name, Isabella Marie Swan. They told me there were going to call you Bella because you were beautiful. It was and still is fitting. I refused to give you an exam though. I thought if for some reason he returned and saw that I had been aware of your existence I would be killed. I told them to take you and run. To hide from the world as much as possible."

"You're the kind man they told me about. They said that when I was still a baby, they went to a doctor to help them. He couldn't but told them to keep me safe…that I was very special." I said gripping Edward's hand tightly.

"Yes you are very special Bella. More special than any of us."

"I'm going to kill the rat bastard." Edward growled.

"What?" I asked him.

"You're father."

"What Edward here is saying is that I'm pretty sure your father has become aware of your survival and is probably trying to have you killed."

"James?" I asked.

"Who is James?" Esme asked.

"The vampire who killed Nina and Neil. The one who tried to kill me but I escaped. The one I'm certain will track me here eventually. The reason I should leave."

"You're not going anywhere." All seven of them said in unison.

"Who is her father Carlisle?" Alice asked.

"Bella is…royalty so to speak."

"Royalty?" Everyone but Edward asked.

"Bella, you have certain powers no one has ever seen before. I would imagine your shield comes from your mother. She was obviously a very strong willed woman. But your ability to read minds comes from your father without a doubt…it's just manifested itself differently – stronger in you."

"I don't follow Carlisle."

"I'm pretty sure your father is Aro."

"Aro!?" I exclaimed. "As in the head of the Volturi? But…but…it's against their _rules_ to make ourselves known to humans! How…what…why…" I tried to express what I was feeling but it wasn't working.

"This is true which is why if he knows you've survived he will probably try to eliminate you."

"We can't fight the whole guard Carlisle." Jasper said.

"You won't have to. This gives me even more reason to leave." I said standing up. Edward instantly grabbed my arm and jerked me back down on to the couch.

"You're not going anywhere. If what Carlisle says is true, Aro will not let the rest of the guard know he has made this indiscretion. He will keep it between himself and one other…someone who he will dispose of later to make sure his secret stays…"

"It also means that as soon as he finds out you all know…you're dead! It's why Nina and Neil…it is James isn't it? It is. He's been sent to kill me. That's why…" I said obviously panicked.

"Calm yourself…please." Jasper groaned. "There's only so much I can do for you."

"Sorry Jasper, but…don't you understand? Why can't you people see?! I have to leave."

"It's too late." Alice said gripping her head. "I can see it…Bella if you leave, like you've obviously decided to do…we're all going to deal with Aro eventually. He finds out we know. You might as well stay with us."

"Alice I thought you said all of our futures disappeared." Emmett said.

"As long as Bella is a part of them, yes they do. But she has made her decision to leave so all of our futures have reappeared. Including Edward's." She said and Edward glared at me. It was so intense I shrank away from him.

"You're not leaving." He said between clenched teeth.

"But…"

"Bella, Alice is right." Carlisle spoke. "If you leave, Aro still shows up here so you might as well stay with us so we can help protect you."

"But you can't…if I stay then Alice can't see…"

"It doesn't matter." Jasper said.

"That's right. If they show up we'll fight. I can take those pussies!" Emmett said.

"We keep having the same argument. Just give up Bella." Rose said with a smile. "None of us are going to let you leave. Especially not Edward."

I sat there looking at all of them. They had a point. If I leave it doesn't matter in the long run because they're still going to have a fight on their hands.

"Thank you Bella." Alice said relaxing. "It's the only time I've been relieved to see my vision disappear."


	8. Chapter 7

**A/N: Short one! Gearing up for a big one next………..**

**Chapter 7**

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**BPOV**

Aro. I still can't wrap my mind around the fact that my father is Aro – the head of the Volturi. No wonder he wants me dead. If our kind were to find out that one of the men supposedly in charge of overseeing us has violated one of their most important laws, it would be a revolution.

I still don't quite understand though. How did James get involved with this? And what was the deal with telling me that I couldn't ever be with another vampire besides him? If he's supposed to kill me, then shouldn't he have just done it instead of making me watch Neil and Nina die? He told me the reason for making me watch was because I told him I didn't love him and I didn't want to be his mate.

What's his angle?

If his job is to kill me and anyone else that knows I exist, then doesn't he see that Aro will kill him as well, eventually?

But why James? Why did Aro send James? More importantly, _when_ did Aro send James and _how_ did Aro find out of my existence. I haven't had contact with any other vampires except Nina, Neil, the Cullens, and James.

"Bella?" Jasper asked brining me back to the Cullens' living room.

"Sorry." I said.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm…well I'm confused." I admitted. Jasper laughed.

"Yes, I felt that. But are you okay?"

"Yes. I'm fine. As well as I can be at least. I just found out my father is the head of the Volturi and has hired a vampire hit-man to kill me and anyone I've come in contact with that knows my secret." I laughed.

"It's not funny, Bella." Edward said sternly.

"I know that." I sighed. "But what else can I do? I'm already doing everything I can. I'm watching my back the best I can and I'm prepared for a fight with James."

This was true. There was nothing more I could do except wait. Wait and plan.

I've always got a backup plan. You should. I will do anything and everything to keep the Cullens safe. Even though Alice said that Aro still finds them, there's always a way to change things. If I can bargain with James to take me – only me; I will. Better yet, if I can kill James before he kills me, the Cullens will always be safe.

There's always a way. The future is never set in stone. I will make sure the Cullens are safe, if it's the last thing I do.

"Are you ready to go home babe?" Edward asked.

"Yes, please."

"Remember Bella, we're going shopping tomorrow after school." Alice said bouncing up from the couch.

"Maybe even earlier." Rose mumbled.

"I won't forget. And I will pack an overnight bag for the whole weekend, since I was informed today that I will be staying here for a girls' weekend." I said rolling my eyes.

"Oh hush! You know you're excited about it. Don't even try to hide it." Alice said smacking my arm.

"You're right. I'm actually looking forward to the weekend."

---

The three of us left school right after lunch to give us more time to head up to Seattle for shopping. It was totally Rose's idea to leave that early, but I was the one who got yelled at for skipping out of Biology and leaving him alone for a whole sixty minutes. Of course when I told him it was only sixty minutes, he _nicely_ pointed out that in fact it was a lot longer since we would not return home until sometime after 10 in the evening.

You'd think as a vampire he'd have more patience.

The ride to Seattle, which normally would have taken us four hours, took only two with Alice's driving. This gave us roughly seven hours of shopping – more than enough for me to find a whole new wardrobe.

Shopping with Alice and Rose was bound to be interesting – even as humans. As vampires, it was almost damn near impossible.

"_This_ is why we shop online." Rose grumbled as another man eyed us.

"Um…so why are we not shopping online then?" I asked.

"Because Bella – we can bond better this way. It's a girly thing to do." Alice said tossing a pair of Jimmy Choo's at me. "These will look hot with that new blue silk number you got."

"Not a fan of Jimmy's." I said as I set them back down and picked up the pair of Louboutin's sitting next to them. "Now these, I like." I said smiling. "So bonding huh?"

"Jimmy's are kinda dull sometimes." Rose said. "And yes bonding. We're sisters now and we don't know anything about you!"

"There's nothing to know that you don't already know." I shrugged. "I grew up outside of Charleston…moved towards Chicago for a few years before disappearing into Canada. I've moved around there until I…uh…moved to Forks."

"Not that kind of stuff silly!" Alice laughed. "Details about you. What do you like? Stuff like that."

"Oh well…what do you want to know?" I asked then proceeded to answer all of their million questions only stopping occasionally when a human was too close or to glare at a male who was staring.

Seven hours later, I was crammed into the backseat of Alice's car with fifteen bags around me. We had another twenty or so in the trunk and I was actually tired. If those girls were humans, they'd run themselves ragged with their shopping habits.

The conversations continued on the ride home, but this time it was my turn to ask the questions.

I learned all about every single Cullen. Including the things that Edward had yet to tell me. I learned Carlisle's history and how he came upon Edward then Esme and then the rest of them. They all had such heartbreaking stories, but I suppose you don't ever become a vampire with a good story behind it.

Carlisle was taken from his family back in 1600s England. He had eventually made his way to Italy and spent time with the Volturi, which answered my question of how he personally knew Aro well enough for Aro to trust him. He became a doctor to save human lives and found Edward and Esme in the hospital he worked at in Chicago.

I remember when the Spanish Flu hit Chicago; I was living outside of St. Louis at the time. I had been alive for 17 years – the same amount of time Edward had been alive. But because the flu hit, we headed towards Canada and never looked back. I had been so close to Edward but yet so far away at the same time. Surely if we had stuck around the Midwest, we would have run into the Carlisle and Edward. They were only a few minutes run away from us.

If I had met them earlier, could we have avoided this whole mess? Would Nina and Neil still be with me? I suppose there's no point in thinking about things like this though. What's done is done. I can't change it now.

I learned about Rose and Emmett's beginnings as well as Alice and Jasper's, although Alice couldn't really tell me much about her life seeing how she doesn't remember anything before her transformation. Jasper's history scared me. I'm not even going to lie about it. He lived through many wars – vampire wars that is. Knowing he would know how to fight an opponent though, relaxed me a little bit.

Before I knew it, Alice was pulling into the garage at home and the three boys were standing waiting for us.

"Aw did you miss us that much?" I asked as I got out of the backseat.

"Hardly." Emmett grunted but smiled. Rose narrowed her eyes toward him and crossed her arms. "Oh you know I'm just giving ya shit babe. Of course we missed you! But we also know that if we don't get these bags for you ladies, we'll never hear the end of it."

"You do learn!" Alice said as she dragged me in to the house.

"Hey! Bring her back." Edward yelled earning laughter out of all three of us.

"Oh you'll be all right for a few more hours." Rose said.

"Hours?! You've got to be shitting me!"

"Nope!" Alice and Rose both said. I just shrugged my shoulders at him but blew him a kiss before I was out of sight up the stairs.

I spent the next couple of hours rummaging through all my bags going back over what I had just bought while Rose and Alice gave me the rundown on what to wear for the next week. Including the attire for the rest of the weekend with them.

I finally gave up on the girls at about one in the morning, wanting nothing more than to see Edward.

"Where do you think you're going?" Alice asked as I stood up from her floor where we were surrounded by fashion magazines.

"I'm going to Edward." I said then we all burst into an uncontrollable laughter when we heard Edward shout from the living room and come bounding up the stairs.

"It's chicks before dicks Bella." Rose said trying to stop her laughter but wasn't very successful.

"Sorry ladies…that's not how this chick thinks." I said as I grabbed a few bags of my clothes and walked out the bedroom door. I wasn't at all surprised to see Edward leaning against the wall across the hall.

My steps faltered when my gaze met his. He looked absolutely stunning and he was just wearing a pair of dark denim jeans and a white undershirt. Nothing fancy at all. His arms were folded across his chest, defining his muscles and he was just leaning there smirking.

"Hi." I said breathily.

"Hey." He said as he shrugged off the wall and walked over towards me. "Let me." He said as he took some of the bags from me.

"Thank you." I said as we headed up the next flight of stairs towards his room.

When we reached the closed door he hesitated slightly.

"Everything okay?" I asked him.

"Um yeah. Just nervous I guess. I've never had a female outside of family in my room."

"Dork." I said as I opened the door and walked in. "Whoa."

"Do you like it?"

"It's amazing! How did you end up with this view?"

"I fought Alice for it." He chuckled as he set all the bags down on the floor. The whole room was just elegant and the view out of his windows was indescribable. "I uh…I bought a bed so you'd have a place to sleep if you wanted to."

"You didn't have to do that, but thank you." I said as I eyed the huge king size bed in the middle of his room.

I couldn't help the million thoughts that flew through my mind. Things I shouldn't be thinking about with only knowing someone less than a week.

Mental images of Edward and I in the bed together filled my mind keeping me from focusing on anything else. My heart rate sped up and I felt my temperature increasing as I just continued to stand there and stare at the bed.

"Bella?" Edward said with a hint of humor.

"Huh?" I asked dreamily as I looked up to his eyes.

"I really wish you'd let me know what you're thinking right now."

"I dunno about all of that." I said as I blushed looking back down to the floor. He was silent for a split second longer before I felt his finger under my chin lifting my head back up.

This time when my eyes met his, all I saw was love, need, and desire. I didn't have to tell him what I was thinking. He knew.

"Edward." I whispered.

"I love you Bella." He said as he dipped his head down to capture my waiting and willing lips with his. My moan was involuntary but it spurred his actions on. The next thing I knew I was being lifted up and carried back towards the bed.

"I love you too." I said as soon as he let my mouth go long enough for me to mutter the words before he was right back to it.

He gently laid me down on the bed hovering over me. His hands started roaming over my body leaving warm sensations everywhere he touched. I was on sensory overload. Every nerve ending in my body felt like it was on fire.

Somehow I managed to grip the bottom of his shirt but lost all patience in pulling it over his head – mainly because he wouldn't pull his face away from my neck long enough for me pull it off so I just ripped it off.

"That was my favorite shirt." He said in my ear before biting my earlobe lightly and growling.

"Oops." I said laughing as I ran my hands down his chest eliciting a shiver from him

"Hmm…you don't sound upset about it all." He said as I felt his finger graze my stomach for just a second before he ripped my shirt off as well. "Oops." He chuckled as he threw the shreds of my shirt off.

The sensation sent me closer to the brink of not being able to stop what was happening and one of us really needed to stop what was happening.

"Uhhhh….Edward…." was the only thing I was able to get out of my mouth though. It was obvious that if this was going to stop it would have be of his accord. And by the way his hands were still roaming and grouping and inching closer to my jeans, I was beginning to think he wasn't planning on stopping us either.

But why is it so wrong for this to continue? Why do I feel the need to wait? I love Edward, Edward loves me.

"Bella?" Edward asked bringing me back to our present situation. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah? Why wouldn't I be?"

"You just seemed a little…I don't know…you were thinking about something."

"Nothing." I said then kissed him wrapping my arms around his neck and weaving my hands into his hair. I felt his hands back at my jeans as he silently asked permission. I answered him by kissing.

"Hey! What'cha doing!?!" Emmett yelled through the door.

Edward growled as I reached for the nearest object I could find. The book hit the door with a force that shook the whole wall.

"Didn't mean to interrupt ya!" He yelled again. "Ow! Rosie…that hurt!"

"Thank you Rose!" I yelled.

"You're welcome honey. Now we'll let you two get back to it. Just remember we'll be heading out of the house at about six so we can hunt. You know the good animals are up early."

I sighed looking over at the clock in Edward's bed room. Four in the morning. The moment was totally ruined and I still needed to catch at least an hour of sleep. I was completely worn out from the shopping and would need the strength to go hunting with everyone.

"You need to sleep, love." Edward said as he rolled off me pulling me into the side of him.

"Only let me sleep for an hour." I said as I placed my head on his chest.

"I'll be right here when you wake up. Dream of me." He said then kissed my forehead.

"Oh I will." I said grinning devilishly. The last thing I heard was his beautiful laugh.

---

Edward woke me exactly an hour later with a kiss. The six of us left Esme and Carlisle at the house for an early morning hunting trip – something I was in desperate need of. I hadn't realized how thirsty I was until I got my first whiff of mountain lion. Definitely a grand idea to head out early in the morning.

We arrived back at the house by ten and feeling rather full and lazy, we all plopped ourselves down in front of the TV to watch a movie. Apparently it was a mistake to let the boys pick the movie – deciding to watch Scarface. It was ridiculous. I believe I actually fell asleep about thirty minutes into it.

"What's your plan for this afternoon?" Jasper asked Edward. It sounded like it was off in the distance, almost dream like, but I knew I was on the verge of waking up.

"I'm taking her to the meadow. I want to show her the only place I can get away from the world."

"She's going to love it Edward." Alice chimed in.

"I hope so." He said then paused. I felt his hand cup my cheek and without thinking I leaned my faced into him and sighed. "Bella, love? Are you awake?"

I fluttered my eyes open to see his gold eyes staring back. "Hi."

"You need to get ready. Go with Alice and Rose. We have plans." Edward said as she caressed my cheek.

"Okay." I said as I sat up and headed towards the stairs where Alice and Rose were standing.

"I have the perfect outfit!" Alice said excitedly as we headed up towards her bedroom.

"What are we doing?" I asked honestly not knowing exactly. All I knew was something about a meadow.

"Edward's going to be sharing something with you that's very special to him. You need to look absolutely perfect." Rose said as Alice pulled my recently purchased deep blue silk dress out of the garment bag.

"You'll wear this with those shoes…oh and that sexy little number you bought to wear under the dress. He won't know what to do with himself." Alice said as she started throwing items on her bed.

"I am sorry Emmett interrupted you two this morning." Rose said.

"Me too. I wish I could see…" Alice said then shot me an apologetic glance.

"I'm sorry you can't see me Alice."

"It's not your fault. I just need to learn." She smiled. "But anyways – I would have shoved my foot so far up his ass if I knew what he was planning on doing."

"It's okay. Really. Everything happens for a reason right?"

"Right." They both said strongly.

"So about your hair and makeup…" Rose said as she started pinning my hair up out of my face.

Thirty minutes later I was done and getting ready to meet back up with Edward for this surprise he had planned.

**EPOV**

"_She's a vision Edward."_ Alice said as her and Rose appeared back in the living room.

"_How _you_ got so lucky I'll never know."_ Rose said shooting me a smirk. I knew she was joking but I still narrowed my eyes at her.

It took only a second longer before Bella appeared. Alice was right…no, not even Alice's words held the truth. Bella was like nothing I had ever laid eyes on before. He pale skin was set off just right with dark blue material that clung sinfully to her curves. The knee length dress showed just enough leg to grab your attention, but not so much that it left nothing to the imagination. The thin straps highlighted her collarbone and I had the instant urge to just lick it. She was utterly tempting.

_Well…there goes any self control I thought I had. _

"You're stunning." I said, unable to come up with anything else. This caused her to blush, making me more aware of her beauty.

Making my _whole_ body more aware of how attracted I was to her.

"Thank you." She mumbled shyly.

"Shall we?" I offered her my hand before walking out the back door.

"_Don't do anything I wouldn't bro!" _Emmett shouted.

I ignored him and kept walking her out the door. "Emmett's such an ass sometimes." She laughed.

"You heard him?" I asked cocking an eyebrow in her direction. She shrugged before answering.

"I was listening only hoping to get a little clue as to where you're taking me Mr. Cullen."

"Sneaky. But I told them to not even think about it. I know you too well already."

"It's kind of scary." She laughed.

"I don't think so. I think its absolute perfection." I said as we sped our walk up into a run. The meadow was only a few minute run from the house. I had stumbled upon this meadow not too long after we had moved to Forks. I was on the chase of a lion when I came into the opening. It was so far off the trails that I knew a human would never be able to find me there. It was so gorgeous and peaceful, I knew I had to make a return trip. And so I did. It quickly became my sanctuary from life. I almost spent more time in the meadow than I did at home. In the meadow I wasn't surrounded by happy couples with complete lives. In the meadow it was just me and my thoughts. No one else's. Just me.

As we ran through the trees, I couldn't stop myself from taking side glances at her. Her body was so graceful in movement. The way her hair blew behind her in the wind…the scent that came off of her…heaven.

If a vampire _could_ go to heaven, I honestly think it would be right here in the presence of my Bella.

"We're here." I said as we approached the opening to the meadow.

"Where is here?" She asked skeptically.

"My…_our_ meadow. I want to share this with you. Before I met you, it's the only place I could ever find peace. The only place I ever felt truly happy with life. You have changed that. Whenever I'm with you I'm at peace. I'm happy. I'm complete."

"I feel the same." She said as she got on her toes to kiss me.

"Bella…I…I want to make love to you. Here." I asked nervous as hell as to what her answer would be. "I know it's probably not the best…"

"Shhh…its perfect Edward because you're here." She said then kissed me again as she brought us down to the ground encircled by the soft green grass.

**A/N: hehehe…. **


	9. Chapter 8

A/N: Wow so I know this is WAY late. To make up for it I'll be posting another one rather quickly. Not sure how quick but it looks like life will start slowing down for me now so I should have more time to write again.

Shall we rejoin our favorite couple in the meadow????? I think so!

**Chapter 8**

* * *

**EPOV**

I couldn't stop myself from instantly ravishing every inch of her beautifully exposed skin. It took every ounce of my will power to not rip her silk dress right off her and do what I desperately want to do to her, but she deserves my patience. She deserves to be worshiped and I fully intend on doing just that.

With each kiss I placed on her I tried to convey my need for her – by unexplainable and unhealthy need for her. The pace I was setting was slow, romantic, passionate, but even I was finding it difficult to keep it that way. Her moans of satisfaction were not helping my control any at all…in fact they were whittling it down to nearly nothing.

"Edward…" She moaned impatiently as her hands ran up my back, gently digging her fingers into my stone skin. Of course this didn't leave a mark, but I felt it. The sensation of actually feeling her scratch my back made me gasp.

"Are you okay?" She asked suddenly stopping her movements.

"Perfect actually…I'm just not use to…you feel so good, so right for me. I love the way your body feels with mine. Everything you do…" I was still in mid sentence when she silenced me with a kiss.

"I love you, but sometimes you talk way too damn much." She chuckled before recapturing my mouth with hers.

Before I knew what she was doing, my shirt was lifted over my head and I was on my back with her on top of me. The look in her eyes was pure lust and hunger as she started exploring my body like I had been doing to hers. With her on top of me, it gave me better access to remove her dress – which is exactly what I did.

What I wasn't prepared for was what she had on underneath said dress. Absolutely nothing.

_How had I missed that?!_

I couldn't do anything but stare at her. Stare with my mouth wide open appreciating the sight in front of me. As I took in all of her, I thought she couldn't get any more perfect or beautiful. I was wrong.

Under my intense stare, she blushed. A full body blush. Her body warmed slightly and she just glowed. The heat that radiated from her, specifically between her legs, instantly made my body react.

I could no longer wait. I could no longer ignore my desire for her. I had to have her. Now and forever.

I wrapped my arms back around her body creating a cage of protection before quickly flipping her onto her back again.

"God you're amazing." I said before I started trailing kisses down her neck to her collarbone and down to her flawless breasts. My hands were everywhere at once on her body, feeling every inch of her.

"You have too many clothes on." She whispered breathlessly in my ear.

That was easily rectified. Her hands made quick work of my jeans and then she used her feet to drag them down my body, taking my boxer-briefs with them. Once she had them pushed down to my ankles, I easily kicked them off. In my hurry to get them off though, I'm sure I kicked them across the meadow.

My thoughts about where my clothes landed were abruptly forgotten when I felt Bella's warm hand grip my excruciatingly hard dick. I growled in response and watched her eyes grow darker.

As I looked into her emotion filled brown eyes, I was suddenly aware – very aware – that Bella is a human. If only part, she is still human.

Human. Shit, her mother was human…

"Bella, can you get pregnant?" I blurted out in a panic. What would be created if a vampire and a human/vampire mix created something?

She laughed and I just cocked an eyebrow at her.

"No Edward I can not get pregnant."

"How can you be so sure? No one thought a human could get pregnant by a vampire, but that's obviously not true." I argued. Why I decided to argue with her right now was beyond me. I mean, we certainly had better things to do than to argue about this.

"Well, if you really must know _and_ if it will shut you up – I don't produce eggs. My body is frozen when it comes to that aspect of a female's life."

"Oh."

And with nothing else to say, we attacked each other's mouths again. I felt her hands all over my body again and then her legs wrapped around me, holding me against her. I was very aware that I was resting against her core and I was very aware that with just the slightest movement I would be in her.

And then I was very aware that we were about to do this. My Bella was about to give herself to me. I was about to give myself to my own personal Goddess. I knew I was without a doubt ready for this moment, but was she? I hadn't asked her. I hadn't made sure that this is what she wants.

_Damn! I'm a fool!_

"Bella…" I said pulling up from her body so I could look at her face. I quick flicker of annoyance flashed through her expression before she masked it.

"Yes?"

"Are you sure…I mean, are you ready for this? I know we're moving really fast and that we've only known each other for a very short time, but…well I just want to make sure…I mean I've never done this before so I don't know…will this hurt you? Oh well I'm assuming you've done this before…" I am well aware I was babbling like an idiot and just listened while her grin continued to spread across her face.

"Edward." She interrupted me but I continued to babble incessantly.

"It's okay if you have, but I don't want you to feel rushed into this if you haven't. I am ready to wait for you for eternity if that's what you want. I love you so whatever you want…"

"Edward." She said more forcefully and placed her hand over my mouth. "Shut. Up." She added still smiling. "Listen carefully to me. I love you more than anyone has ever loved anyone else. I know that we've moved incredibly fast, but it doesn't _seem_ that way. I feel like I've always been with you, and I suppose a part of me has been. I've never shared this part of me with someone else, and that I'm happy for because I get to share it with you. Yes, I would imagine this will hurt me a little bit, but I'm sure I can handle it and I know it will be worth it." She said then placed a chaste kiss on my lips.

"I've never been more sure about anything in my life as I am about this moment or about you." She said then kissed me again only time it was the one that told me to shut up and to not say another word, so I listened.

I positioned myself over her and ever so slowly and gently entered her, while never looking away from her eyes. I moved slower than I thought was possible to allow her to adjust to me and when I felt her barrier come in contact with my head, I stopped moving. She gave me a reassuring grin and then did something I was not prepared for, she pushed me forward herself by using her legs.

The sensation alone almost made me cum, but I managed to somehow control myself. She had tensed up beneath me and was obviously in pain, so my thoughts instantly went to her well being.

"Are you okay, love?"

"Yes." She said then took a deep breath. "Just…give me a second, please." She added.

I caressed her cheek and placed loving kisses everywhere I could reach to help sooth her. Only seconds later, did I feel her legs start guiding me in and out of her. The friction between our bodies was amazing and felt oh so pleasurable.

I have never felt anything like what it felt like to be inside of my Bella. It was undeniable that our bodies were made for each other. We moved perfectly in time with each other without even trying. Everything was so natural with us.

We started picking up our pace and my thrusting got more aggressive with each passing second, but she didn't seem to be complaining, in fact she seemed to like the aggressiveness. I honestly was trying to slow down to make myself last longer – to make our first time last longer.

She wasn't helping at all.

"Faster Edward." She moaned as her fingernails tried time and time again to make purchase into my back.

"Bella…I won't be able…"

"You feel so good inside me Edward." She growled into my ear. "I _need_ you to go faster. I _need_ you to fuck me." She added with strain in her voice. I could tell she was close and her talking was pushing me dangerously close to the edge.

I sped up my pace and plunged deeper inside her as I lifted her legs over my shoulders to get a better angle.

"Uhhhh…yes…please…I'm so close…" She moaned.

"I'm going to…cum with me baby." I managed to get out of my mouth. She gripped my upper arms with surprising strength as I felt her tighten around me. The sensation sent me over the edge with her as I buried my face into her neck.

I could feel her trying to catch her breath beneath me. I could hear her heart rapidly beating, sounding almost like it was coming through her chest. I could feel her sweat on the side of my face. I could smell the sweetness of it – I could smell her natural scent. I could hear her soft moans. I could taste her on my tongue – the warm liquid pooled in my mouth and tasted of the sweetest wine…

_Wait? What?_

Realization hit me. I had the taste of blood on my tongue. Bella's blood.

"Shit!" I yelled as I pulled myself away from her. My eyes instantly locked on the red that was dripping down her neck. I stared in absolute horror. I had bit her. In the heat of my climax, I bit the woman I love. My happiness of the moment I had just shared with Bella was immediately out of my head and the only emotions I felt within me were horror, anger at myself, scared, and guilt. Nothing good. I had bit her.

How could I let this happen? What will this do to her?" What will my venom do to her? It doesn't affect vampires, but she's also human? Her heart beats and everything. Will this turn her into a full vampire? I need to get her back to Carlisle.

**BPOV**

What just happened? One second I was in the arms of the man I love, in the middle of a meadow beyond words, enjoying the most magnificent moment of my existence. The next second I was lying on the ground by myself with Edward standing a good twenty feet away from me.

He looked absolutely petrified and I had no idea why. Did you suddenly regret what we just did? Did I do something wrong? Every insecurity I've ever felt flooded my brain at once. Had he finally realized I'm not good for him?

"Edward?" I asked trying to mask the emotions I was feeling. I haven't gone from one emotional extreme to the other this quick. I was blissfully happy and now I'm panicking. My heart beat was speeding up and I could feel my blood pumping uncontrollably through my veins.

I guess I could read his thoughts so I know better how to handle what just happened.

"_I need to get her back to Carlisle."_

What the hell?! Back to Carlisle? What is this boy thinking? He was frantically looking for our clothes, or at least I assume that's what he was looking for, but all I could think about was getting him to talk to me. I have to know why I need to get back to Carlisle.

"Edward?" I asked again as I stood up and started walking towards him. With my movement he immediately backed up a few more feet. I stopped walking. He wasn't going to let me get close to him. We just shared something life altering together and now he's acting like he's disgusted with me – like I appall him. He regrets this. He regrets us. He regrets me.

"You know if you regret this, then you should just leave instead of standing there making me feel like a complete whore." I seethed as I grabbed my dress from him and put it on.

"Bella! I bit you!" He said fisting his hands to his sides and hanging his head.

"Oh." I said finally realizing what he was so upset about it. And now that he mentioned it, I could smell the slightest hint of blood in the air. I should probably explain a few things to him. "Ed…"

"I bite you and all you can say is 'oh'? What the hell?" He yelled at me obviously taking his anger at himself out on me. And I wasn't going to react. It wouldn't help our situation but I was steadily getting more frustrated with this man. However, I'll just stand here and wait for him to shut-up long enough for me say more than a word.

He eventually looked up at me from putting his pants on. His facial expression was a blank mask as he took in my stance. I was there with my hands on my hips smirking at the fool that I was in love with.

"But I…what…I don't understand. I bit you. I tasted your blood. I sucked on the wound. I could have killed you! It _should_ have killed you!" He said and paused. I took the opportunity to finally talk

"But you didn't kill me. Yes you bit me, but it didn't hurt me any and you pulled away from me. Hell I didn't even realize you bit me until you said something. I was on such a high that I didn't feel any pain. Of course I would imagine if you hadn't pulled away and continued, I would have felt it and just pushed you off of me. It would have been rather easy considering your mind was nowhere near this universe." I chuckled.

"I still don't understand. My venom…"

"Doesn't affect me. I must have forgotten to tell you that. I'm immune to it. Also, I'm not poisonous. And if you'll notice, I'm already healed."

"So you're okay? And not mad at me?" He asked shyly. Once again I just laughed at him.

"Of course I'm okay and of course I'm not mad at you." I said then she blushed. "In fact…I thought it was…I liked it."

"You liked it? I thought you didn't know I bit you though?"

"I felt it, but I didn't realize it was a bite…I thought maybe you just nipped because it didn't hurt me. I'm weird I guess."

"Um and a little disturbing. I hate to deny you anything that you like or want, but I don't think I can do that again. Nibble or bite…I don't know if I'll be able to control myself if I do it again."

"Okay." I shrugged as I wrapped my arms around his waist. "Just so you know…this has been the most amazing day of my life."

"Me too." He said as he went to kiss my but before he got to me he pulled away abruptly. "Sorry…you still have blood on your neck and it smells unbelievably tempting."

I just laughed but wiped my neck clean. "Better?"

"Much." He said as he finally kissed me deeply but pulled away too quickly. "We should get back home."

"I suppose you're right." I sighed as I took his hand and we started running back to the house.

I was not at all surprised to see Alice and Rose waiting for us on the front porch. Alice was bouncing around looking more like she was on a pogo-stick than her bare feet. Rose was just standing there with her arms crossed grinning knowingly.

"I am so sorry." Edward mumbled.

"They're going to kidnap me again aren't they?" I laughed.

"Yes…in about two…"

"Beeellllaaaa!" Alice sang impatiently as she stomped her foot and then before I could blink Alice was at my side and throwing me over her shoulder.

"Edward!" I yelled but he was just looking at me smirking. "You are no help!" I yelled again but his smirk only grew. "Yeah asshole, you'll be smirking when they're still holding me hostage in five hours and not letting you see me."

His smirk instantly fell causing me to smile.

"You'll have her back to me in an hour Mary Alice! You hear me Rosalie Lillian!"

"Whatever Edward _Anthony_." Rose said rolling her eyes as she followed Alice and I inside.

---

Three hours later I was still locked in Alice's bedroom.

"He bit you?!" Alice screamed and Rose growled. I just laughed.

"Obviously I'm fine." I said waving at my body.

"Well you must have been rocking his world to make him bite you." Rose laughed.

"No kidding. I don't think Jasper's ever bitten me and we've been going at it for what? Like sixty years." She giggled.

"Emmett's nibbled me but he's never actually sank his teeth…"

"You don't have blood pumping through your veins, remember?"

"True." They said.

"So…what else? Did you go down…"

"Okay that's adequate! I've been patient long enough. Give her back." Edward said interrupting Rose by banging on the door.

"God you'd think I'm a toy with the way he talks." I mumbled.

"You sort of are." Alice said trying to not laugh.

"Come on! Please!" Edward said again.

I stood up off the floor and started walking towards the door to leave and be with Edward. I had been locked in with the girls long enough. I needed to be with Edward now.

The girls didn't say anything even though they obviously didn't want me to leave yet but it was also obvious that I was going.

"See you tomorrow girls." I said as I opened the door.

"Whatever." They said.

As soon as I opened the door, Edward swept me up into his arms and took off running up the stairs to his room.

---

If I thought our time spent in the meadow was amazing the rest of our weekend was indescribable. The rest of Saturday and all of Sunday was spent in Edward's bedroom. We only left the confines of his bed to go to school on Monday.

And that was unwillingly.

"Bella! You have to let us get you ready." Alice whined through the door.

"I am fully capable of dressing myself Alice." I sighed.

"Judging by the amount of time you've spent naked this weekend I'm beginning to think that's not true." Rose chimed in earning a laugh from everyone including myself and Edward, but we didn't make a move to get up.

"Damn it Edward!" Alice said stomping her foot like she always does. "If I don't spend any time with Bella…"

"Okay." He groaned as he got out of bed. I was momentarily struck stupid at the sight of his naked form but came back to reality when he pulled me up as well.

"What was she getting ready to say?" I asked as I kept the sheet wrapped around my body.

"Nothing."

"No not nothing, otherwise you wouldn't have cut her off." I said as I headed towards the shower. He still didn't say anything so I turned back towards him. "You know I'll get it out of you eventually." I said as I dropped the sheet and flashed a devilish grin at him. He just stood there staring at me like I had just done to him.

"So what was she going to say?"

"Uh…she uh…she's upset with me because I hogged you the majority of the weekend keeping her from trying to finally figure out how to see your future." He said in a rush then flashed to me. "Can I join you in the shower?" He whispered in my ear.

"Hmmm…well since you told me what I wanted to know…okay." I said.

"Isabella…you little whore!" Rose shouted. "That better be one quick ass shower. No fucking around Eddie!"

"We want you in my room in ten minutes Isabella." Alice said as they walked away from the door.

After a twenty minute shower I finally made my way into Alice's bedroom. Judging by the looks on both their faces, I really should have made it a five minute shower.

I've never been one to be afraid of something five inches shorter than me, but the look on Alice's face was more menacing than Rosalie – and that's saying something.

After another thirty minutes of being pulled and prodded a hundred times I was deemed worthy of another day at high school. And what irritated me the most – I was in something I would have put on myself. Black skinny jeans, black tank-top, white leather jacket, and black stilettos. The only difference was I would have pulled my hair into a pony-tail. Rose had straightened it to an inch of its life. The other thing I wouldn't have done was put the amount of eyeliner on that they did, but it did look pretty sultry.

"And that's what we thought." Alice said as I just stared at myself in the mirror. "Now let's go. We're going to be late."

"We're never late pixie!" Emmett boomed from downstairs. I heard the boys' laughter join his.

"Come on ladies!" Jasper said as we headed that way.

I decided to listen to their thoughts just this once.

"_Mmmm…Rosie's looking fine today. I can't believe I was lucky enough…holy hell! Is that Bella?! Damn Eddie she's one fine piece of…"_

"Shut-it Emmett." Edward growled. _"Son-of-a-bitch. It was hard enough to leave the fucking bed this morning and now she goes and looks illegal and we're going to school…school…human boys…fuck! I'm gonna have to deal with their thoughts…" _He continued thinking as his face slowly transformed to agony. If I hadn't been listening I would have thought he was disgusting looking or something – except for Jasper's laughing fit.

"Edward man…you've got to calm those feelings down or I'm going to have to take Alice upstairs…_and_ kill some human boys."

Edward just stood there staring at me as I walked right up to him. I didn't even hesitate; I just wrapped my arms around his neck and put my lips against his, hungrily.

"Here we go again." Emmett laughed. I chuckled and pulled away from Edward and walked out the front door with Rose and Alice on either side of me.

"Little tease." Edward mumbled as they all followed us.

As soon as we got to school we put on our human act to get through another day. This proved harder for some of us than others though.

Edward couldn't keep his hands off of me…and we're not talking small displays of affection. We're talking scene causing.

"Slut." Lauren said as he passed Edward and I in the hallway. At the moment he had me penned against a locker attacking my neck. I felt Edward's growl build in his chest and start to rumble a little so I silenced it by kissing him. "I bet Edward's only playing with you because you…"

"If you're even slightly intelligent you'll not finish your thought." Edward all but hissed at her. Her eyes widened at his expression and hurried off without glancing back.

"I think you made her piss her pants." I laughed but cut short of a full laugh when he resumed kissing me. "Edward we have to get to class." I said breathless.

"Eh not really. We already know everything they could ever want to teach us."

"True…but if we stay here and continue this, I'm gonna bet our cover will be blown." I whispered then pressed my body into his to prove a point.

"Okay okay. I get it. But just so you know it's under protest that I'm walking away from you and to my own class."

"Oh and by the way I'm going home after school…alone." I said then disappeared around the corner before he could say anything else.


	10. Chapter 9

**A/N: For those of you who might not know this – I live in Indianapolis and…the Colts are going to the SUPER BOWL BABY!!!! Hellz yeah! :-) I'm a huge football fan and my boys kicked major ass today! I'm surprised I was able to write this chapter actually. **

**But…here it is in all its glory!!! It's a little shorter than my others but I don't think that detracts from it at all. **

**As always let me know what you think. I read everything you guys post and take it all to heart and consider all suggestions made. **

**Chapter 9**

* * *

**BPOV**

I'll be the first to admit that I'm still not exactly sure what I was thinking saying I would be going home…alone…after school. At the time it seemed like that best thing to do – or at least the most fun. I only did it to tease Edward a little more. I certainly didn't want to not be with him. That much was evident by the fact that it took us almost an hour to say goodbye when he dropped me off after school.

Right, so it seemed like the best idea at the time and as I stand here in my living room, frozen in place, I know it was the best thing that could have happened.

The second I walked in my front door, I knew he was there. I could smell him. I could hear his thoughts.

"Hello there Isabella, dear." He said as he shrugged off the door frame in my kitchen. "How rude of you to keep me waiting all day."

This is what I wanted. None of the Cullens are here. I'm alone. I'll be the only one to die here. He'll kill me, let Aro know I'm dead, and this whole thing will be over. The Cullens will never be found out. Alice was wrong. Aro will not still come after them.

"Who dropped you off?"

_Shit! But he doesn't know who it was. I won't tell him. I'll die keeping them safe._

"You'll talk, dear. You know I'll get you to." He said as he approached me. "My Isabella, you are looking very tempting today." He added as he stoked my cheek with his right hand.

I jerked my face away from his touch and refused to look at him.

"Look at me Isabella!" He growled as he jerked my face back towards him. "You're coming with me…to be with me for eternity. You'll learn to love me. We're meant to be together and you know it."

"Bullshit!" I finally broke my silence. "Cut the pretenses James. We both know Aro has sent you to _deal_ with me. You're nothing but a pawn in his sick twisted game! He'll just kill you when you tell him that you've killed me. You don't love me! You've never loved me! It's always just been a game with you…a job!" I yelled in his face.

His eyes were dark with hunger but I could still see the heat of anger in them. He was furious. I know his little secret. I know everything I'm not supposed to know. And it was obvious his temper was going to get the best of him and I wanted to take full advantage of it.

"Do it already! Just kill me!"

But he didn't kill me. He hit me again knocking me to the ground causing me to slam my head on the corner of a table as I fell. If I was a human it would have knocked me out or killed me. As it were, it only stunned me for a second. A second long enough for James to throw me over his shoulder and take off out my back door into the forest.

This was it. He was taking me somewhere secluded to finally kill me. Aro will finally get what he wants. His daughter – his forbidden spawn would be nothing more than a memory to all who ever knew I existed.

As we flew through the thick trees all I could think about was Edward. He'll move on from me and find the one he's truly supposed to be with forever. He and I were never meant to work out, if it had been meant to be I wouldn't be here now.

I'll die now and he will live on like he's supposed to. Alice and Jasper will forever balance each other out with her energy and his calming nature. Rose will continue to school Emmett in the ways of cars and true fighting skills. Esme and Carlisle will go on being the world's most compassionate vampires.

"We're here. Get comfy." James said as he dropped me off of his shoulder and onto a dusty wood floor.

"Why should I get comfy if you're just going to kill me?" I growled as I stood up and dusted myself off.

"You are so dumb sometimes Bella." He said shaking his head and smirking. "Now…tell me who dropped you off this afternoon." He growled locking his gaze with mine.

"No way in hell I'll tell you!"

"You might as well tell me. It's not like I can't find out on my own. I bet there's not very many other vampires in that small town you were hiding out in. Plus I saw his car. I am a tracker. Remember Bella? And I'm very good at my job." He winked.

"Go to hell."

"I live it every day. Thank you very much."

"Just fucking kill me!"

"NO!" He said grabbing my face again. "I don't want to kill you Bella! I fucked up! I fell in love with you before anything else. Then when you denied me I got jealous…beyond jealous really. I flipped my lid and did some questionable things. The Volturi found out and asked for me to come see them."

"What did you do?!"

"They asked me what caused me to go off the deep end and I…I didn't want to tell them about you but then Aro read my thoughts and the next thing I knew he was asking me for a private discussion. He told me he would spare my life if I took yours. I took the job but never planned on hurting you!"

"You did hurt me! You killed Nina and Neil, you bastard! You killed my only family! For what? Tell me you sick son-of-a-bitch!"

"They were going to take you away from me. You would always choose them over me…"

"You mean to tell me that you killed them to drive me into your arms?! You thought that if I lost my only family I would run to you with open arms? What the…How exactly was this master plan of yours going to work? That doesn't even make sense!"

"After Nina and Neil were out of the picture, I planned on calling Aro and telling him the job was done and then go into hiding with you."

"I never would have stayed with you. You know that right? Why would I willingly go to someone who killed my family?" I said through gritted teeth. He just stared at me waiting for me to see what was obvious. It only took half a second for it to click. "Oh…"

"You weren't supposed to come home…you weren't supposed to see me do it. I wasn't expecting you for another hour at least…"

"I see. Well…now I'll definitely never be with you so you definitely might as well kill me. There's only one I'll ever love."

"I'll find him you know and when I do, he's dead. He's dead for taking you away from me again. He doesn't love you anyways! How could anyone else love you? You half-breed! I'm the only one who will ever be able to see past that and you know it! He's using you!" He seethed. "And if you won't let me have you then you'll live your life alone."

I knew he wasn't kidding and he would find Edward and he would kill him. He would kill all of them. Total panic mode.

"Please no." I whispered. It was the loudest voice I could manage. "Please don't hurt him." I sobbed. "Please don't hurt them. I'll…I'll do anything just don't kill them."

This was what I had anticipated at one point. I had told myself I would sacrifice my life to save theirs. I just never thought sacrificing would put me living through hell. I would rather die than to be with James. But I knew that's what he would want. He would want me to say I'd go with him.

"Are you sure you'd do anything?" He said raising an eyebrow questioning me. I couldn't speak so I just nodded. "Hmmm…well that's interesting. I need to think on that. You stay here. I need to hunt since I'm going to be around you for awhile. Your pulse tempts me just as much as your body." He sneered then stole a kiss.

"Get off me!" I yelled.

"Sit and stay. I'll be back with my decision soon. You better not leave. If you do, not only will I find you – again, but all possible negotiations will be void."

And then he disappeared.

I don't know how long I was alone in the one room looking shack thing, but I must have dozed off waiting for his return.

I dreamt of my new family and wondered what they were doing. It was well past twilight outside so I knew I had been gone from my house at least six hours. Surely Edward knows something's wrong by now. He would have probably tried to call me by now and since my phone was at my house along with my purse no one would be answering his calls.

And since Alice can't see me she had no way to know.

No one was coming for me. I was stuck here. Stuck with him for the rest of my life because, let's just be honest, there was no way in hell he would not accept my offer.

I woke up with the sound of footsteps coming back into the cabin.

"Honey, I'm home!" James shouted and then before I had a chance to react to anything he hit me in the back of my head and tied my wrists with a chain. And then he blind folded me and gagged me.

"Can't have you screaming, love."

"You mother fucker!" I screamed anyways but of course it sounded nothing like that. I tried to fight against the chains but it was useless. I was not strong enough to break whatever metal he used.

It was pointless to fight anyways. This was what I wanted. He was obviously taking me up on my offer and leaving the Cullens be.

I wonder where he was planning on hiding out.

---

**EPOV**

I can't believe I agreed to let her leave me. What the hell was I thinking? I can't be without her for a whole night. As I pulled away from her house, after keeping her in the car for an hour – refusing to let her leave my eye sight, I couldn't help but think something was off.

Why did she want to be alone anyways? This whole not being able to read her or know the future was really starting to get to me.

"Alice!" I yelled as I walked into the house.

"Yes lovely brother of mine?" She said as she appeared seemingly out of nowhere.

"Any luck with figuring out how to read Bella?" I asked then watched as she narrowed her eyes at me.

"No, because _someone_ wouldn't let me spend time with her this weekend. The point of this weekend was for her to spend just as much time with me as she did you. Remember that little deal of ours? Day time with me, except for the meadow, and night time with you. But oh no…_you_ had to go and keep her locked up in your room all of Saturday night and Sunday! I didn't spend nearly enough time for her Edward!"

"I'm sorry okay. I just couldn't stand the thought of not being with her. I need to be with her always. Even right now it's killing me to not be with her."

"Where is Bella anyway?" Jasper asked.

"She wanted me to drop her off at the house…" I said but stopped talking when Alice gasped. My thoughts went immediately to Alice's to try and figure out what she was seeing.

I saw the five of us at school the next day. I saw me depressed and moping around the house. We were all depressed.

"She's left us." Alice said with a dry sob. "Even after we told her…she left us anyways."

"NO!" I roared. "You're wrong! She didn't leave me!"

"Edward…" Jasper said sending calming waves to me. He even touched my shoulder to intensify the effects.

"Something's wrong! She wouldn't just leave!" I said as I took off running. I was well aware that my entire family was following me but couldn't have cared less.

Something was terribly wrong. My Bella wouldn't just leave me. There was only one explanation. _He_ came for her.

We were at her house in less than a minute. Throwing caution to the wind I didn't slow myself until I was in her front door standing there looking at the contents of her purse scattered on the floor. Her cell phone broken in pieces.

"She didn't leave me. She was taken from me." I growled. "Search for her Alice!" I demanded getting in my sister's face.

"Son, calm yourself." Carlisle said in a claming voice.

"Smell that?" Jasper finally spoke.

"I smell the intruder." Emmett said as he clenched his fists.

"Yes. That is definitely here, but its blood."

"He's right. Look." Rose said pointing to a spot on the corner of a table in the living room.

"He had to be waiting for her when you dropped her off." Carlisle said.

"I would think so. I wonder if she knew he was here?" Esme said. "She's previously said she would sacrifice herself to save us. If she knew he was here, she would have sent Edward on without her to save his life…"

"She promised me she wouldn't do that!" I yelled again but it was more strangled than before. I didn't want to admit it to myself, but yes she had said that, but Alice had told her it wouldn't save us. Aro would… "Alice, what of Aro?"

She looked at me for a second before focusing on the future. I saw the flashes but couldn't focus on anything. Hopefully she was able to.

"Well?" Emmett asked impatiently.

"Aro has been informed we know about Bella. We can expect him within the week. He doesn't know who we are though." She said furrowing her eyebrows. "He only knows that there is a coven in Forks that knew of Bella. He's coming with assistance but hasn't decided who yet."

"Two against seven. We can handle that." Emmett huffed. "Bring him on!"

"That doesn't help us find Bella." I said shooting him a death glared.

"If she's alive…" Carlisle started.

"She's alive!" I snarled at my father and then just stood there staring at him.

"She is." Alice whispered almost incoherently. I snapped my head in her direction and found her kneeling next to where there was a slight blood stain on the floor. She had her eyes closed like she was focusing very intensely on something.

"Alice?" Jasper asked placing his hand on her shoulder.

"She's alive. I can see her. I can see her!" She said jumping up off the floor. "He's got her in some sort of dark empty room. She's going to try and fight him, but I don't know why…." She said then trailed off, her vision disappearing from me.

"What did you cut off?" I asked her but she refused to look at me. "What happens?"

"It's a tough fight…it doesn't look like she'll make it." She mumbled.

"I have to save her! Where's this place?" I asked getting in Alice's face, earning a menacing growl from Jasper and being restrained by Rose and Emmett.

"Edward, son, you must calm yourself. You can't save her if you're not focused and only seeing red."

"Where is it?" I asked again, a little calmer but still in her face.

"I don't know Edward. I can't tell. It's somewhere in a forest but every tree looks like ever other tree! There's no identifying landmark around…nothing! Don't you think if I knew I'd tell you?! I want to save her just as much as you do. I love her too Edward! She's my sister!"

Rose yanked on my arm with surprising force making me jerk towards her. "Alice is right Edward. You've got to realize we all want to save her and yelling at the one person who could possibly help us won't speed up the process any. Jesus you're an ass sometimes…"

"What would you do Rose? If it was Emmett that was in trouble? What would you do?"

"Not yell at my family!" She screamed at me. "I would try to figure out how to save him."

"How can I do that if I don't know where to look?"

"If you'll give Alice a minute, she might be able to find something." Esme chimed in. I had almost forgotten she was even in the room. She's always so quite and calm. She's exactly what I needed right now. Jasper's emotions were a mess anyways because I was yelling at Alice so he wasn't helping me at all.

"I will try to get a look at this _James_ and go from there." Alice said spitting out his name before going into her own mind. I focused in to try and pick up anything I could.

About a minute into her vision I saw all I needed to see.

"The fool!" I shouted, it almost sounding like a sinister laugh.

"Kinda creepy there bro." Emmett mumbled.

"You saw it too?" Alice chirped, jumping up and down.

"Of course I saw it." I grinned.

"What?" Everyone else demanded.

"The idiot unknowingly took her to our old home in Denali." Alice said.

"What about that coven?" Esme asked nervously.

"The friends we left behind in Denali have already moved on. The house looks to have been abandoned at least two years."

"Well, what are we waiting for then? Let's go get her!" Jasper said looking more like a warrior than his normal self.

"Yes, let's." I said as the seven of us headed back towards our home to gather our things and get the cars. I wanted to just run up to Alaska, but I knew the odds of Bella wanting to run home after I saved her would be slim so I took Carlisle Mercedes, Jasper and Alice rode with me. Emmett and Rose took Emmett's Jeep while Carlisle and Esme opted to stay at home.

I would be in Denali in eight hours.

I would be with Bella and she would never leave my sight again. Ever.


	11. Chapter 10

**A/N: I've been all over the place! I apologize now if there are any grammatical or spelling errors. My crazy job has picked up…and I bought a house!!! My first house and it's all mine! Woohooo!!! I'm super excited about it (if you haven't noticed) but the point of telling you all this is to tell you that my posts may not be weekly like planned for a while. But when I finally get moved in, I will have more time to write.**

**All right so here we go….**

**Chapter 10**

* * *

**BPOV**

After what seemed like only a few hours in a car, James stopped the car. I was still blindfolded, gagged, and tied, but I had been working on my restraints the whole way to the house. I had made absolutely no progress, not that I would have run. What was the point now? I had made my deal, even though I was completely sure what he would want from me in return for the Cullens' safety. I had my suspicions; I mean seriously, how could I not just assume what he would want from me?

Now, don't think less of me because I made this deal with James, it meant my Edward was safe and yes, I knew I would be miserable for the rest of eternity, but he was safe.

I could live with that or at least I'm banking on me being able to live with that. I would just have to hold onto the memories of Edward and his family. Just knowing they were alive and well and moving on from my short intrusion on their lives, I would be fine. I would never stop loving him though. No matter what James thought or did.

"We're here sunshine." James all but sang as he yanked me out of the backseat of his car.

I said nothing, I just let him drag me up a set of stairs and into a door. Once the door had been shut and locked, he took the blindfold off my eyes.

We were standing in the middle of a huge entryway in an even bigger mansion. A mansion that was obviously deserted – and for a while, but there was still the smell of vampires lingering.

"Don't worry, sweetness, they had already left when I found this place." James said as he threw me over his shoulder and walked towards another room. "See when I left looking for you, I headed this direction first. I had heard about a coven of _vegetarians_ in Denali so I thought maybe you headed this direction, but all I found when I arrived was this empty home. Of course, being the master planner that I am, I made note of this location for future reference. As it turns out, I was correct. Well, after I struck out here I made my way down the coast. I knew you headed west when you left your dead family…" He said and with that I jerked my body in protest to him bringing up Nina and Neil. "Touchy, touchy…any ways, so I knew you headed west and once I wasn't able to find you here, I headed down the coast hoping to pick up on something. You really should learn how to run from someone. You're terrible at it." He laughed as he dropped me onto a bed. After he dropped me he finally took my gag out of my mouth and untied my hands.

I had all kinds of things to say to him. I had a ton of names I wanted to call him. With a million things running through my head, I couldn't decide what to say first and so nothing came out. I literally was without words.

"Hmm…just the way I like you. Quiet." He mused, mostly to himself, as he turned from me. He had no sooner turned his back when he whipped around and was standing next to the bed in my face. "Now, you aren't going to try and run from me are you? That would be very stupid. That family of yours would surely pay for that mistake."

"No, as long as you can promise you won't hurt them…"

"I promised I wouldn't hurt them." He smirked. "Now, I've got to run out for just a minute. I'll be right back. Don't move." He said then took off.

As soon as he left, I took a look at the room he had put me in. It was definitely a huge bedroom, complete with its own sitting area and a telephone. The room was done in shades of gold and black. It really was quite elegant, but the color of the gold reminded me of Edward's eyes. When my mind drifted towards him yet again, my eyes locked on the telephone. Before I really thought about it, I had jumped off the bed and walked over to the phone. My hand hovered over the receiver, hesitating.

_Should I call him? Should I give him a proper goodbye? Would that be harder for him? I owe him a goodbye though._

I had just decided to call him and placed my hand on the phone when James came barreling through the door. I didn't even have time to react before I was thrown against the opposite wall and he was restraining me there.

"Not a wise choice for the pretty little half-breed." He growled.

"I was just going to call to tell him goodbye. I owe him…"

"You owe him nothing! You're mine now. I own you."

"I am not a something someone can own…"

"You are. You traded your life for a promise of me not hurting them. You stupid, stupid girl." He sneered at me and then kissed me. I jerked my head to the side to try and break it but he was too strong and held me against himself. I refused to kiss him back, though. He finally leaned away and looked at me with narrow eyes.

"Don't make this harder on yourself than it has to be." He said then went in to kiss me again. This time I was able to move just enough that he missed and kissed my cheek. I heard him growl a half second before I felt his hand grip my neck and lift.

"Listen to be Isabella. You're mine. Not his anymore. You traded yourself for me to spare his life. You _will_ do as I wish or I will have no choice but to call Aro and let him deal with you too."

"Too?" I struggled to say as his grip tightened on my neck. I was being held against my will but I wasn't stupid. I caught that single little word. That little word that made my vision go blurry and cause James's past words to flash through my mind, _'I promised _I _wouldn't hurt them.' 'You traded your life for a promise of _me_ not hurting them.'_

Somewhere in my mind I was vaguely aware that James hand set me back down on the floor and was kissing me again and that his hands were wandering, but I wasn't in the here and now. I was thinking about the past week. Alice had been right. No matter what I did, no matter how I tried to slant this game in my favor, I was going to lose.

I had traded my freedom, my life, for theirs. But James only promised not hurt them himself, and I was blind to not catch it. He got me and the Cullens still died.

James told Aro about the Cullens.

"You…you lied…" I barely whispered. I wanted to read his thoughts. I wanted to know what he was thinking so I opened my mind to let his thoughts in, but I heard nothing. I furrowed my eyebrows and tried harder, but still nothing.

His evil laugh filled the dark room. "Of course I lied! Once I got you to agree to anything that I wanted as long as I didn't hurt your little friends, I saw the perfect plan. And quit trying to read my mind. I remembered you could do that, and so I figured a way to block you. All I had to do was find a certain vampire with special powers and she gave me the power to block mind readers. After knowing you could, and then the little fiasco with Aro I decided it best to figure out a way to shield myself just like you can my dear." He said then went right back to kissing and feeling me up. I struggled against his rough touch. I didn't have time to worry about him blocking me. I had bigger issues. Aro.

"He's on his way to Forks right now isn't he?"

"He's probably already there to deal with your boyfriend and his family. It was fairly simple actually. I got you to promise your part. I promised mine. I left to go hunting when in reality I stepped out to make a phone call. I called Aro and told him you had evaded me yet again, but that I was hot on the trail. I informed him that you had made some friends in the town and that they knew of your heritage."

Aro was on his way to Forks to clean up yet another one of my mistakes. My first mistake was trusting someone outside of my family. When I met James while hunting one day, I should not have invited him back to meet Nina and Neil. We should not have let him stay with us. My second mistake was running from him when he killed my family. I should have stayed and dealt with this then. If I had not run, I would not have met the Cullens. My third mistake – falling in love with someone knowing that it would inevitably cause their death and then I ran again. I ran from them to try and save them, which only made it worse. If I had stayed, I would be fighting James with my new family and if Aro would have shown up, I would have been there to fight with them. To die with my new family.

Now I was going to die alone. I was going to die because I am not going to run anymore. I am going to fight. Fighting him would mean my death, but death would be better than living this way. If Edward had been sentenced to death, then I will join him.

I relaxed my body into James's body to give him the false sense of me giving up.

"I see you've come to your senses." He said caressing my cheek.

"Why fight it anymore? If my only reason for surviving is going to die…why should I care about anything anymore?" I said, but apparently he didn't like that. He gripped my neck again and slammed my head into the wall.

"You'll care about me! You'll love me. You'll forget about him." He growled as he gripped my upper arms hard.

_This was not my master plan...I need to fix this…_

"You're right." I whispered. "I will forget about him eventually."

"Yes." He hissed as he loosened his grip. "You will. He's not worth your time and love anyways. He's a cowardly vampire who isn't even able to fight for you."

"You're right." I agreed again just waiting for him to totally drop his defenses.

"Glad to see you've finally seen the right way." He smiled as he moved his arms to lean them against the wall behind me.

This was my only shot and I had to make it count.

In the blink of an eye I brought my knee up and kicked him in the gut. It caught him off guard enough that I was able to kick him again this time across the room. I ran to where he landed and pounced on him to try and keep him down.

"You little whore!" He screamed as he struggled against me. "What's your goal here? You can't kill me...you can't even hurt me." He almost laughed.

"Maybe not, but I'm certainly going to try." I said as I slammed his head into the floor.

And that was the last hit I got in.

I was thrown across the room with surprising force and up against the wall, leaving an indent. The force of the hit was amazingly painful and I sank to the floor trying to catch my breath and stop the room from spinning. But before I could fully get prepared for another blow, James was there pulling me by my hair. He swung me up off the floor and I landed in the bed.

He was on top of me in a heartbeat…which is saying a lot since my heartbeat was incredibly fast at the time.

"You'll pay for that little stunt of yours, sweetheart. What were you thinking? Huh?" He asked but I stayed quiet. "Answer me!"

"I knew if I tried to fight you, you'd kill me and I _want_ to die. It's better than living here with you." I said then spit on him.

That earned me a slap across the face.

"Well…still don't think I'll be killing you…" He said then grinned at me. "Since that's what you want, but I will be _taking_ what I want from you. I was hoping you'd do this willingly and I wouldn't have to force you…it is more fun when the woman is willing, but you leave me no choice." He said as he licked my cheek.

"I can smell that you're no longer pure. That's a shame. I was hoping to claim that part of you. I take it this boyfriend of yours took it already." He pondered while glaring at me. "I suppose that's just another reason for Aro to kill him for me. That's really what's going on you know? Aro is doing my dirty work. I promised I wouldn't hurt them, and I'm not, but I still needed him dead. Just in case he got the wise idea to come searching for you some day, I had to make sure that was impossible."

When he finished speaking he crashed his lips against mine, forcing my mouth open allowing his tongue access to me.

I was instantly repulsed and every nerve in my body felt like it was on fire. I was shaking I was so pissed and scared. My vision was even blurry, either from tears or my anger – maybe even both. It didn't matter. I was mad.

And with that a few things happened all at once. I felt a burst of something inside of me. It felt like I exploded but I didn't. It was empowering. With the burst, James went flying across the room and into the wall, actually through the wall. I heard multiple gasps from somewhere in the house, but before I could register that fully, James was back in my face with his hand around my neck yet again.

"What the fuck was that?!" He yelled in my face as he squeezed the life out of me. He pulled me from the bed and was holding me in the air by my neck. I might be half vampire, but I still need the circulation of blood and oxygen in my body. I can go a while without breathing but when someone's strangling me it's apparently a whole different ballgame.

I was loosing this one now though. I started closing my eyes willing death to come to me. At least I went down fighting. I knew Emmett would be proud to know I tried to fight him. I honestly did try to fight him, but all I could really focus on now was Edward.

My beautiful Edward. The way he sparkled in the meadow when we shared ourselves with each other. The way he held me tight in his arms as we just laid in his bed. Everything about him. Even his growl.

I felt James' grip disappear around my neck so I assumed I was dead, or at least so close that I no longer felt any pain. I felt myself drift into a sleep….into death. And I was finally dying.

**EPOV**

When we pulled up to the house at Denali, everything was relatively quiet. Too quiet for my liking. I hauled ass into the front door right as Alice got a vision. The vision was of my Bella sending James across the room with some sort of invisible force. One second he had his hands on her and the next he was flying through the air and through the wall. Both Alice and I gasped at the sight as we all heard him land on the floor.

As soon as I heard it, I knew where they were in the house. He had taken her to the room I used to sleep in.

"_Could this guy get any more ironic?" _Alice thought as I headed up the stairs.

"_It's like he's taunting you"_ Rose chimed in.

As my family's thoughts entered my mind, it was then I realized for the first time that I couldn't hear this James. Nothing except him rising from the floor. I couldn't hear his thoughts. It all makes sense now! If I could hear him, I would have been able to hear him when I dropped her off at the house.

_Does he know us? Did he know that I could read his mind? No, then Aro would know who we are._

I ran into my old room and saw James holding Bella up in the air by her neck. She was trying to pry his hands off of her, but he was stronger. I watched her eyes flutter before her arms went limp to her side.

She was giving up.

I growled and flew across the room taking James by surprise and pulled him off of Bella and pinned him against the wall.

"You are going to die." I said in his face.

"It doesn't matter. Aro is already coming for you…"

"We know." Alice said from over by Bella. "We're prepared."

This seemed to surprise him.

"We've known for a while to expect Aro…and one guest." I snarled as I tightened my grip. I was about ready to rip his head off when I heard it. The most beautiful sound in the world.

"Edward…" Bella sighed.

"Go to her son. We'll take care of this animal." Carlisle said as he rested a hand on my shoulder. I felt Jasper and Emmett grab James from my grasp and take him outside to finish him off. As much as I wanted to partake in his death, I was needed right here.

"Bella. I'm here. You're going to be fine." I said as I kneeled beside her. "I'm here. I love you."

"I love you too." She said but never opened her eyes. "Heaven is beautiful."

"She thinks she's dead." Rose almost laughed. I might have thought it was funny…maybe…in any other situation. Not now. I just wanted her to open her eyes and look at me.

"You're not in heaven, love. I'm here. We're all here." I said then leaned in and kissed her soft lips. I felt her body tense up on me just a second before Alice screamed my name in alarm and I went flying across the room.

"Oh shit!" Bella screamed as she jumped up off the ground and then looked at me sprawled out on the floor laughing my ass off. "Why are you laughing!?" She demanded stomping her foot.

"You just…you just…wait, what did you do?" I asked as I sat up.

"I don't know. It's the same thing I did to James….where is James? Wait? What's going on here? When did you all get here? What…" She said as she sank back to the floor.

"Oh dear…so many questions. You need to relax a little bit." Esme said as she tried to comfort Bella.

"I will later. What's going on?" She demanded again.

"James is dead. You're alive. That's really all you need to know right now." Rose said.

"How did you find me?"

"Alice saw you." Carlisle smiled.

"What?" She asked turning to Alice, who was beaming with happiness.

"I saw you! Isn't that just wonderful? Of course, if I had seen you earlier this whole mess could have been averted, but whatever." She said rolling her eyes at me. "Any who…I saw him bring you here to our old home in Denali and so we headed up here immediately. Good thing too, it didn't look so good for you hun. I'm glad Edward ripped him off when he did."

"Edward ripped him off of me?"

"Yes and as a thank you, you throw me across the room." I laughed.

"I really don't know what that was."

"None of us do." I shrugged.

"Unless it's just your shield manifesting in another way of protection. You could have just projected your shield off of your head and…for a lack of better terms, thrown it at your attacker." Carlisle suggested.

"Interesting thought." Jasper said as he and Emmett walked back into the room.

"Little sis!" Emmett said as he scooped Bella off the floor and into a bear hug. "I'm so glad you're okay! Don't you ever do that shit to us again!" He said and with that I heard Rose's thoughts but hoped she wouldn't voice them out loud. I should have known better though. We're talking about Rose here.

"Yeah! What the hell were you thinking going into that house knowing James was in there! You should never have done that. You should have run away from him as soon as you realized James was in your house…"

"Rose!" Bella and I both yelled at the same time.

"Do you honestly think I would have done that…"

"Yes." Her and Alice both answered as they crossed their arms. I had to just laugh at Bella's expression. She just looked caught.

"You can't lie to your sisters Bella." Alice said.

"Okay fine…but I totally didn't know he was in the house until Edward had already pulled away. I took my time to check the area but came up with nothing so I thought it was safe…"

"Why didn't you hear him? Why didn't you hear him either?" Emmett asked both Bella and I.

"I have no idea." I shrugged.

"Yeah apparently he found a way to get around that." Bella shrugged.

"That's possible!? Well hell I hope that secret doesn't get out." Jasper said.

"Yeah…so back to this projecting my shield thing." Bella said abruptly.

"Yes, well I guess it makes sense. What were you feeling at the time this happened to you?" Carlisle asked.

"Angry and or threatened. When I did it to James, I felt both. I was pissed at him but scared as well and then all of sudden my body just – exploded I guess and he went across the room. When I sent Edward across…"

"Whoa, you threw Edward across the room and I _missed_ it!? Damn-it! I miss all the cool shit!" Emmett interrupted again.

"Shut it Em." Rose said.

"So when I threw Edward across the room, I think it was just a gut reaction. James had been…_forcing_ himself on me so when I felt lips on me without thinking my body reacted naturally. I really didn't mean to do it." She said hanging her head.

"I know, love." I said as I wrapped my arms around her waist

"So you're not mad at me?" She asked still looking down at her feet.

Silly, silly girl. What was she thinking? How could I be mad at her for basically protecting herself? Not to mention, the only emotions I had room for right now were happiness and relief – just to name the two main ones. Happiness that I have her in my arms. Relief that she's alive.

"How in the hell could I be mad at you?" I asked laughing at her as I gently placed a kiss on her cheek. She melted into my body but then in almost the same instant she stiffened and jerked away. "What's wrong love?"

"Aro." She said very panicky and then she started talking a mile a minute. "He told Aro. He told Aro that you know about me even after I…he told Aro and he's all but signed your death certificates and we can't go back to Forks. It's not safe and I am so sorry for all of this. I should have never come this direction. I should never have…"

"Isabella!" Alice yelled and growled at the same time. "Would you shut up! I've already seen Aro coming. We're well aware of his plans. He's only coming with himself and one other vampire. I don't think there's really an issue here."

"But can't you see the outcome?" Bella asked Alice.

"Well…yes and no. Aro is dead set on one outcome so that's what I see from him, but certain members of my family have their own idea of what the outcome will be so I keep getting about three or four different visions constantly bombarding me. It's really slightly annoying."

"Oh…so since we can't go back to Forks…where are we going?"

"Who says we're not going back to Forks?" Rose said.

"But I thought…"

"Oh no we're definitely going home." I said.

"I don't understand." She said.

"We're going back to Forks and we're going to fight the bastard. Duh, Bells!" Emmett said.

"Why would you want to do that?" She asked skeptically.

"Because it's only going to be him and some tiny chick. We can totally take him." Jasper said.

"I'm hoping it doesn't come to a fight." Esme said.

"Me too." Carlisle chimed in.

"But I still don't know why you guys just don't stay away from…"

"Love, if we run now we'll be running for eternity. Is that how you want to live?"

She looked up at me with tears rolling down her cheeks. After staring into my eyes for what seemed like at least an hour, she finally spoke through her tears. "Edward, I'm done running."

"Then let's go home, love."


	12. Chapter 11

**A/N: Better late than never I suppose. Sorry for the delay. I hate to make my faithful readers wait. I've unfortunately been sick this past week and been fighting a major block on this chapter. It's your basic filler (lemons included so consider yourself warned). I couldn't just jump from Alaska to when Aro shows up – so I give you this chapter. I've always found it harder to write fillers and so I hope this is okay. **

* * *

**Chapter 11**

**BPOV**

The car ride home so far had been surprisingly quiet. I was pretty convinced that with Alice in the car with Edward and me she would talk nonstop, but she sat quietly in the front seat while Jasper drove us.

Edward had insisted on sitting next to me in the backseat of his car, claiming he couldn't stand the idea of not being as close to me as possible. I wasn't about to complain. I thought the man was dead for crying out loud. I wanted to spend every absolute second of my time with him.

"Alice?" I asked raising my head from Edward's shoulder to look at her. She turned her head to look back at me over her left side and flashed an all knowing smile.

"Yes Bella?" She asked sweetly.

"Do you have a timeline yet?"

"I do." She said but didn't reveal anything else.

"Well would you like to share with those of us who are out of the loop?"

"Why do you want to know Bella?"

Stupid pixie knows damn well what I'm planning. She's _seen_ it. Maybe this whole knowing my future wouldn't be all that great…all the time.

"Because I want to know how much time we have before Aro gets here."

"But why?"

"What are you, like, two?" Edward laughed.

"No, I want her to ask."

"Ask what?" Jasper inquired.

"I hate you." I said but in all honesty it was hard not to smile.

"No you don't. You love me!" She sang.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. How much time do we have pixie?"

"Why?" She asked again.

"I want to know how long I can ravish your brother before I have to fight Aro."

Edward stiffened beside me but then relaxed and growled deeply.

"You can have a day to yourselves, but then you're moving your stuff into our house – it's going to happen so don't even think about arguing…" She said tapping her head while grinning. "But he'll be here in three days…" She said but then stopped as her eyes glazed over and she drifted into a vision.

"Alice?" We all asked nervously.

Did the timeline just change? Did we no longer have the time we thought we did?

"Baby?" Jasper asked as he rubbed her arm.

"I see…he's not just brining Jane with him now. She's convinced him to bring another member of the guard, someone who's a strong fighter."

"Psh…Emmett can handle him." Edward scoffed.

"Yes probably but it will still be a harder fight." Jasper said.

"We're still numbered eight to three." I reminded them.

"I don't like the idea of you fighting." Edward said in my ear.

"With my shield, I might not have to. We'll have to wait and see, but I'm not leaving you and your family to fight without me. You're in this because of me. If anything, you all should leave and I'll stay…"

"Fuck that." The three of them said at the time and with growls.

"Whatever." I said not willing to fight them on the subject. It was stupid to. I know that now. There was nothing that would keep them from fighting my battle.

The car fell quiet again while we all watched the scenery fly by at an incredible pace.

"Hold up…" Edward suddenly said then looked towards me. I heard Alice laugh from the front seat. I cocked an eyebrow at him waiting for him to continue. "Alice said…you're moving in with us?"

I shrugged my shoulders because honestly the first I had heard of it was when Alice just mentioned it. I couldn't lie, the idea crossed my mind, but I wasn't going to ask if I could. That's rude. Inviting yourself to live with other people? No way. One of them would have to suggest it.

Actually, I'm surprised it was Alice first and not Edward.

"You want to?" Edward asked.

"Well…it's obvious we can't live without each other so it seems pretty ridiculous not live together…"

"Plus she's part of our family now it only makes sense." Alice interrupted.

"Is that _not_ okay with you?" I whisper asked.

"WHAT?! Of course it's okay with me. It's more than okay with me? Are you insane? We'll move you into my room…it'll be…I love you." He finally said then kissed me passionately.

We only pulled apart because of the throat clearing in the front seat causing me to blush from head to toe. I settled back into Edward's shoulder and relaxed for the remaining three hours of our drive.

Apparently I drifted off to sleep, which was probably a good thing. I hadn't slept since James took me and I knew I wouldn't be sleeping any in the next week. I wouldn't have time for it. Besides preparing for the fight, I would now be moving my stuff into the Cullens' house not to mention violating Edward for the next 24 hours at my house.

"Violate me huh?" Edward chuckled in my ear.

_Shit. I was either talking in my sleep or I let my shield down in my sleep – either is bad. _

"You knew that though." I said deciding against making a big deal out of it. I looked up at him and that's when I noticed we were no longer in the car. We were in my living room. And it smelled of _him _still. I quickly jumped up from the couch and looked around frantically before it clicked that he was dead. I relaxed but then was confused. My confusion must have been obvious because Edward laughed before explaining.

"You were out of it. Didn't even flinch when I carried you from the car into your house. I didn't want to wake you since I know you're probably pretty exhausted."

"And I won't be sleeping again anytime soon." I said flashing a grin before attacking his lips aggressively. It earned me a growl from him and only spurred me further. I entangled my hands with his hair and pulled – hard. He grabbed my waist and lifted me off the floor in response.

My legs instantly wrapped around his hard body and I came in contact with his very noticeable erection. I pressed myself harder into his body in an attempt to gain a little bit of friction.

"Jesus Christ Bella…" He moaned out as I nibbled on his throat. Right where his blood would have been pumping if he had any.

"I want you…right here." I purred in his ear as I released my legs from his body to stand in front him. I started slowly removing his shirt while making sure to gently caress every inch of his skin. Once his shirt was discarded, I kneeled in front of him and made a move to take his jeans off.

Slowly.

Excruciatingly slow.

"Damn-it…" He growled again when I slide his jeans over his already exposed cock.

"Commando?" I asked raising an eyebrow in his direction, but didn't give him a chance to respond before I yanked his pants all the way down and put him in my mouth.

"Holy…mother fuck…" He gasped.

It didn't take but a few seconds for his hands to find my hair. He didn't dictate the speed at which I was going, but he didn't have to. I knew exactly what he wanted – _needed_.

"Love, please…." He said stopping my movements. "I want to come in _you_ not your mouth." He practically begged me.

But see the thing about vampire males – they rebound quickly. So I ignored him, because I really wanted to do this for him. Not long after his futile plea, I was drinking him down to the very last drop.

"Why did you do that? Don't get me wrong – it was fucktabulous but now I can't…" He said but I cut him off with a kiss.

I was still fully clothed and a surefire way to get a man excited (human or vampire) was to strip for him.

I broke the kiss I had initiated and stepped back away from him.

"Where are…" He started but stopped as soon as my hands traveled up to the hem on my jacket. It wasn't until I grabbed my jacket that I realized it was tattered and dirty from my fight with James.

_Damn…I kind of liked that jacket_.

I didn't let that random thought slow me down in my quest to drive Edward crazy though. I removed the jacket and shirt leaving me in my bra and jeans. I turned my back to him and slowly started sliding my jeans down. I hadn't even gotten them completely over my ass when I felt Edward grab my wrists effectively stopping me.

"May I help you?" He asked. His voice was extremely husky and sexy as all hell. I couldn't do anything but nod my damn head.

He let my wrists go and began kissing my neck and ears. His hands explored every inch of my exposed skin before he reached my jeans. As he pulled them further down, his body followed and he placed open mouth kisses down my back. Once my jeans were pooled at my feet, I stepped out of them and turned around to face him.

He embraced me and I felt completely safe. There would never be another place for me. I belonged right here in Edward's arms.

"Bella?" He asked.

"Huh?" I managed to get out while he continued to kiss me everywhere.

"I want to make love to you tonight…but right now, I want to take you from behind."

Well who can say no to that?

Not me.

"Okay." I stuttered as I felt my bra come off and my panties get ripped from my frame. And then I was bent over the back of my couch.

"You're so ready for me." He growled as he ran his finger across my folds.

Again all I could do was nod like a bumbling fool.

"I'm not going to go easy on you. I can't. I have to claim you. You're _mine_." He said ending with a very deep growl.

"Yours." I said and then without another word he thrust deep inside of me. "Fuck!" I yelled.

"So tight…" He said as he continued his rough thrusting.

At this rate it didn't take me very long to approach the cliff and I happily jumped right off of it without hesitation. After I came, Edward grabbed my waist and flipped me over so my back was now on my couch, with my legs wrapped around him. His hands were on my shoulders pushing my body back against his.

In this position he was hitting a place I never knew was capable of being hit.

The amount of pleasure I was experiencing was beyond belief.

"Edward!" I screamed.

"Bella…I'm…you gotta come with me." He said as he locked his eyes with mine. I answered him the best I could and then with a couple more thrusts I was there.

"I'm going to…"

"Come with me baby…now." He demanded and that's exactly what I did. I came in perfect harmony with Edward. It was so powerful, the couch buckled beneath me. Edward grabbed my body though and held me against him. My legs were still wrapped around him and my arms were now around his neck while I attempted to calm my body. Our bodies still connected at the most intimate parts.

"I love you." I finally said.

"I love you more." He said as he kissed my forehead. "Sorry about your couch." He laughed.

"Eh…I don't need it anymore anyways. We can use the one in your room from now on." I said laughing as well.

The motion of our bodies stirred him again and I felt him harden in me. I got a wicked grin on my face before I leaned down to his ear.

"Again?" I purred then bit his earlobe. All I needed in response was his thrust upwards into my ready and willing body.

We spent that whole day locked in my house doing nothing but being just us. Locked away in our own little word, I almost forgot about the impending battle. It was easy really to forget about it. I was so happy and peaceful wrapped up in Edward. I didn't want to think about coming face to face with my biological father. I didn't want to think about fighting him or the two vampires he was bringing along with him. I didn't want to think about what could happen to Edward or Alice or any of them.

All I wanted to think about was being with Edward.

"I was thinking about something." Edward said breaking the silence we had fallen into. We were lying on my bed, still wrapped around each other. He had been playing with my hair for last hour or so and it was slowly lulling me sleep before he spoke.

"Hmmm…" I hummed.

"Is there anyway I can convince you to not fight this week?"

"No." I said firmly. I heard him sigh unhappily. "I know you don't want me to fight…and I'm hoping it won't come to that, but this is my fight. It would be wrong of me to pawn it off on you and your family. I need to face him. I don't really expect you to understand that."

"I understand…I just don't like it. It's just he's coming here thinking you're already…that you're dead and if you're the first thing he sees when he shows up, he's going to freak out and..."

"Okay." I said seeing his point. "I'll make a deal with you. I'll make sure I'm not the first one he sees, but if it comes down to it, I will fight."

"I think I can live with that." He finally agreed.

"Thank you." I said then leaned in to kiss him. He instantly responded but then we were immediately interrupted by his cell phone.

"Leave us alone." Edward growled as he hit the speaker button on his phone.

"You two need to stop right now or you'll never get out of there!" She whined. "I'm ready to have my sister here. Tell her to stop kissing on you and get packed."

"I'm not doing anything of the sort." He laughed.

"So help me Edward if you two don't get out of that bed…don't make me come down there and separate you two myself."

"Clam yourself pixie." I laughed. "We'll be ready in an hour for you to move me into the house."

"Make it a half hour and we have a deal."

"Don't I get a say in this?" Edward asked.

"Not really." Alice and I answered at the same time.

"I'm not done with you though." Edward whispered in my ear then nipped it. I shivered with the contact.

"You'll have all eternity Edward." Alice said.

"So will you." He retorted right back. I just giggled and pulled myself out of his arms. "Damn-it pixie."

"See you in thirty minutes!" She chirped then hung up.

"You owe me for leaving me hanging like this." Edward growled as he stood up out of the bed. The sight of his completely naked form made my heart skip a beat or two.

I'd been looking at the damn creature for the whole day and yet somehow still the sight of him made my heart react. And of course he noticed the sound and a cocky grin instantly spread across his face.

"Oh don't look so damn pleased with yourself." I grumbled. He laughed at my response but didn't let his grin falter.

"Help me pack what I'm taking to you house before your evil sister knocks."

"She won't be knocking." He said as he pulled on his jeans.

We started throwing my clothes into my suitcases. Luckily I had kept what Alice and Rose had forced upon me in the original bags – tags still on them – otherwise I'm pretty sure I wouldn't have had room for all my clothes.

We packed up my room and it was evident that that was all I really needed to pack.

Exactly thirty minutes after Alice hung up the phone, she pranced into the living room – unannounced just like Edward said.

"Okay, let's go. I brought Emmett's Jeep so we can pack everything into it and only make one trip…" She said as she disappeared up the stairs. She reappeared carrying two of my suitcases and a hand full of bags. "Edward grab what's left in her room and Bella make sure you get anything you want. We won't have time to come back this week."

"Okay Alice." I sighed as I walked towards the garage where my baby was kept. It is the only thing I want besides what was in my bedroom. Everything else could stay in the house and be sold with the house for all I cared – which I wasn't to sell until after we graduated high school and I moved on to college.

I pulled out of the garage and revved my engine letting both of them know I was ready. Edward hopped into my passenger side while Alice drove away in the Jeep.

"You sure you're…." Edward started to ask.

"Yes." I said then kissed him deeply before pulling away.

"Tease."

"You'll get your fill. After all, we will be sharing a bed for the rest of eternity."

"Love, I'll never get my fill of you." He said then kissed my cheek lovingly.

I sped off down the road towards the house imagining the things I would do to him that night.

Probably not the best of ideas because now I was not just imagining the things I would do I was imagining _feeling_ the things I would do and what he would do in return.

And now I was unbearably turned-on.

When we did finally get to the house, I pulled my car into the garage and parked it next to Edwards on the other side of Alice's. Even just pulling into the garage, I felt at home.

Everything felt exactly like it was where it should be.

"You okay?" Edward asked me.

"Yeah, I'm perfect." I smiled.

"What were you thinking?"

"I was just thinking how perfect and right it feels pulling into this garage, knowing that this is now my home. I don't exactly like how I got here in my life, but I am sure glad I'm here. I've lost so much and dealt with a lot of shit, but if I hadn't then I wouldn't be here. I wouldn't have met you. I wouldn't have met your wonderful family…"

"Your family."

"Our family." I smiled again as I got out of my car.

We walked into the house hand in hand and were greeted instantly by six smiling faces.

"Bells!" Emmett roared and scooped me up in his arms.

I had forgotten he hadn't seen me since we left Alaska.

"Hey Em." I said as I embraced him back.

"You had me scared shitless little one! Don't ever pick a fight with someone bigger than you – ever again. Okay? Promise me."

"I promise Em." I laughed.

"He's right, Bella. I thought we were going to lose you before we really got to have you." Esme said.

"Why would you…why did you egg him on anyways?" Rose asked.

"I thought you all were dead so I didn't have a reason to live anymore. I wanted him to do it."

_Didn't we already discuss this? Why must we rehash it? _I thought before Carlisle asked the next question.

"Why would you think we were dead?"

"Because James told me he told Aro about you and that he was on his way to clean up the mess I caused yet again. I just knew you all were gone…"

"More faith Bella." Jasper said.

"Yes I suppose." I said. "Look, let's not think about the past anymore. We have to prepare for Aro's arrival in…Alice? Is the timeline still on?"

"Yes." She said nodding quickly. "It's very clear. He'll be here…tomorrow at noon." She said and then drifted off in her own little world again. It didn't last long. "Oh!"

"What?" We all asked nervously but when Edward smiled we all relaxed a little. Alice locked her focus on me and grinned.

"What?" I asked completely confused as to what she saw.

"I'm really glad I can see you now."

"Would you please inform the rest of us?" Rose demanded.

"We're all going to want ear plugs tonight." She sang then winked at me. "Just please make sure you're ready and downstairs by ten tomorrow morning."

"Not a problem my dearest sister." Edward said.

"What do you want?" She laughed knowing Edward's tone.

"I just would like to know what you're exactly seeing for tomorrow."

"I told you Edward. It all depends. I'm still seeing multiple outcomes based on different things I see people doing. Aro has backup plans in place. Jane has her own mind made up on certain things. This Felix character is all about fighting. And then I have the eight of us going through our own motions of what tomorrow will be like."

"Is one vision clearer than any others though?" Carlisle asked.

"Yes." She said but then sealed her lips for good and walked away from us.

"I hate when she does that." Jasper mumbled then walked off his own direction.

"Apparently she doesn't want us to know." Esme laughed and she and Carlisle headed off in their own direction.

"Did she block you both?" Rose asked.

"I wasn't looking." I shrugged.

"She was singing _The Macarena_." Edward cringed.

"Glad I wasn't looking then." I laughed.

"All right, well Rosie and I are going to…"

"Enough right there Emmett." Edward laughed then took my hand and started pulling me towards the stairs. "Let's go get your stuff settled, love."

"Okay. And then we can have some of our own fun." I winked at him and took off running towards his – _our_ bedroom.

I wanted to enjoy my night with Edward. It might very well be my last night on Earth.

I would fight for them and I would fight to the death if need be.


	13. Chapter 12

**A/N: I feel as though this story is approaching its natural end which makes me both sad and excited. Sad because I never want to leave characters behind but excited because I get to move forward with my next project (which is already well into the works of being written). **

**Drama anyone? I do love it! (In a story – not my life)**

**Chapter 12**

* * *

**BPOV**

"So everyone is clear on the plan right?" Jasper asked as the eight of us sat around the living room. After finally meeting up with everyone we had laid out our ideas and formulated a plan. A plan I knew probably wouldn't have a chance to get fully executed. Alice had prepared us for the still ever shifting vision as best she could but it was such a volatile situation. We still had too many players making too many decisions.

We made a plan as a group to help ease the number of visions that Alice was receiving, but I'm sure I wasn't the only one who held onto a plan of my own.

I could be wrong though seeing as I'm the only one currently getting the evil-eye from the pixie of death.

"Alice is he still on time?" Carlisle asked.

She tore her eyes away from me long enough to check the timing for him and nod her head. "Yes. We should expect him in about ten minutes."

"Okay good. We have to stick to our plan as much as possible to keep the vision in our favor. As it sits right now we will fight, but Aro also doesn't know who to expect when he gets here. Everything could change when he realizes it's me, but…"

"It's not likely." Edward scoffed.

"And I'm just supposed to stand off in a corner away from prying eyes like a fucking coward then, right?" I huffed.

"Bella, love, please don't do this right now. We need to keep you out of sight for as long as possible. Alice has tried different scenarios and they just don't work."

"But I…"

"No buts Isabella Marie Swan." Alice said glaring at me again. Edward gave her a thoughtful look but he wasn't going to get any information from her. She was reciting _Hamlet_ in her head to keep him out.

I already checked.

"How are they arriving Alice?" Esme asked.

"By foot. No car and they should…Carlisle it's time." Alice said abruptly ending her speech to retreat into Jasper's arms.

Carlisle nodded and headed out the front door.

I took my spot hidden from our visitors and opened my mind to get into Carlisle's so I could keep an eye on everything. As he opened the front door, three figures cloaked in black robes appeared out of the forest in front of the house. It appeared as though they were all looking at the ground.

It was obvious Aro was in the middle flanked on his right by the big and menacing looking Felix. To his left a non-threatening child-like figure, Jane.

"Aro." Carlisle spoke first.

The figure in the middle jerked its head up at the sound of it's name from Carlisle's mouth.

"Carlisle?" Responded the still hidden vampire. "It is you." He confirmed before removing the hood of the robe form his head allowing me my first glimpse at my biological father. His eyes were a very deep red; even through Carlisle's eyes I could see that. He spoke with an obvious Italian accent, which I should have expected but did not.

His appearance could only be described as sinister. The look in his eyes held only evil. No remorse for what he came to this town to do. No feelings for family or loved ones.

"May I ask why you visit today?" Carlisle asked carefully avoiding any clues that he was not alone or that he was expecting him.

"Are you the only vampire in this town?"

"My wife and I have a home here."

"Wife?" Aro asked raising an eyebrow. This was Esme cue to appear seemingly out of thin air next to Carlisle.

"Yes my wife Esme."

"Pleased ma'am." Aro said giving a slight nod her direction. "Carlisle, my friend, when I first approached you did not seem at all surprised to see me at your front door. Were you expecting me today?"

He was following our plan as if he was part of it. Alice shot me a knowing grin before doing her part.

"I saw you." Alice said as she bounced out of the house to the other side of Carlisle.

At her words and/or the sight of Alice, Aro's eyes went wide as the two still hidden figures next to him went stiff. At their reaction I pulled away from Carlisle's mind to look into little one's. They were not worried about the even numbers. They were worried about the talent that Alice had hinted at.

"Saw me? What do you mean tiny one?" Aro asked. I was still in Jane's mind so I saw Alice narrow her eyes at the comment. It was hard not to chuckle, but I managed.

"I saw you coming. I knew a week ago."

"So you must know why I am here." Aro said, his tone staying even. "Carlisle, I am even more surprised to see you here and involved with this seeing how I asked you to destroy it if you should come across the monster."

The term monster made me flinch but Edward was next to me in a heartbeat, hugging me. I knew he wanted to say something but we couldn't make a sound alerting them to us. I was surprised he even moved over to me.

"And you of all people should know I am not a destroyer of life. There is no reason to want to hide the existence of this creature you call a monster. She is far from it. She's loving and beautiful and not a threat to our kind and she doesn't risk exposing our kind one bit. She's one of us. She's a vampire. She feeds from animals like my family and I…"

"I'm not here for her. She's being taken care of by another one of my associates. I'm here to discuss your coven's involvement. If we discuss the situation, I'm sure we can handle this civilly." Aro said. I didn't need to be in his mind to know he was lying.

This was Edward's cue. He released me and walked out the front door.

"Lying will get you no where." Edward said standing next to Esme. Once again Aro's eyes went wide as he took in the four vampires standing in front of him. The other two still seemed unaffected.

"And what makes you think I am lying, son."

"I am not your son." Edward growled. "And I know you're lying. Your _thoughts_ give you away."

"My thoughts? You can read my mind? Without touching me?" Aro said cocking an eyebrow in Edward's direction. "Very interesting. I've never met another vampire with my talent…"

"His talent exceeds yours Aro." Carlisle said. "You need personal contact. Edward can hear miles away."

"A future seeing vampire and a mind reader in one coven…"

At this Jasper, Rose, and Emmett all looked at me and headed out towards the door as well. Emmett giving me a quick thumbs up before disappearing and leaving me alone in the house.

My whole family was outside now, face to face with the head of the Volturi. The vampire who wanted me dead. The vampire who was here to destroy them for knowing me.

"Family." All seven members of my family said together as the three missing ones appeared on the porch as well.

The appearance of three more finally got the attention of the still hidden two on either side of Aro. Their heads jerked up revealing their bright red eyes.

"What's this? Seven?" Aro said.

"My family." Carlisle spoke again. "My wife Esme, Edward, Alice, Jasper, Emmett, and Rosalie."

With his introduction I felt pride. My family. They were there for me. And then I felt guilt again for putting them in this position. But then I felt anger as I thought about the one on the other side, facing my family. The bad guy wanting to kill my family.

"Are you threatened?" Emmett boasted going off of script and getting a glare from Alice.

His question was answered with a round of sinister laughs from the still unrevealed guard members.

"Threatened by you? Never." Felix said.

"Oh! Yes let me introduce you to my two companions today. This is Felix. He is my lead guard member." Aro said as Felix removed his hood. I was still scanning all of the thoughts as quickly as possible. I needed to keep up with what was going on.

'_That Emmett is the biggest but with Jane's little ability we shall have no problems eliminating this threat that Aro has spoken of.'_

Jane's ability?

"And to my left is my Jane." He said as Jane revealed her self. She couldn't have been more than thirteen when she was transformed. Her blonde hair was a striking contrast to her red eyes. Her little smirk made me nervous.

What is her ability?

"Jane here as the ability to…" Aro was speaking but I wasn't paying attention to him anymore. I was focused on the little bitch.

'_I think I'll incapacitate the one first so she can't tell them what I'm about to do…'_

At the same time I heard her, Edward heard her and lunged for Alice and I exploded with anger.

I felt it before I really knew what _it_ was. And then I realized what _it_ was and smiled from ear to ear.

Aro was still explaining Jane's ability of causing people pain in their mind, excruciating pain, and he hadn't noticed Alice smirking, Jane looking more than a little frustrated, and the rest of the Cullens looking beyond confused.

Poor Jane was still trying.

Edward was the first to catch on and went from confused to the same cocky smirk Alice was sporting.

"Damn-it Jane! I brought you along for one purpose…" Aro demanded.

It's my turn. And my family can't stop me. I'm facing him now. I'm putting an end to this. Now.

"It's not her fault." I said from behind the line of Cullens on the porch.

"Who said that?" Aro asked. Both Felix and Jane started darting their eyes frantically around looking for the mysterious voice.

I walked between Edward and Esme and came face to face with the three of them. Edward was visibly not happy with my appearance but he didn't try to stop me.

"I'm stronger than your little secret weapon Aro. You will not be hurting my family with her mind games."

I could feel my shield growing stronger around my family as my anger towards the vampire standing in front of me grew. I could also still feel Jane trying to penetrate the shield I had stretched over the only ones I care for.

"Do yourself a favor honey and just quit trying. It isn't gonna happen." I said glancing her direction out of the corner of my eye.

"You're supposed to be _dead_." Aro said through a clenched jaw. Edward tensed next to me and I grabbed his hand to help relax him.

"Your hired gun didn't work out so well. He's the one that's dead." Edward spit back.

"Well it seems then I underestimated you." Aro said looking at me. "You seem quite strong for being half-human. I take it with my Jane's reaction that you are some sort of mental shield."

"A shield that I can stretch to cover whom ever I wish to protect. I can also read your mind, you cowardly piece of shit. Bringing others to do your dirty work is just sad. Your dirty work that is only supposedly needed because you're a selfish man who _took_ what he wanted from a defenseless human."

"Your mother was a whore! She was the one who was engaged to that human man, but she practically threw herself at me when I appeared in town one day."

"Stop lying Aro. You forget you have two mind readers in front of you. You can try to convince yourself that my mother is to blame but you know the truth. I'm sure the truth is what you've been trying to hide all these years. The truth is why you want me dead. The truth would make you look weak and how can the leader of the Volturi be weak?"

"I have nothing to hide. The only reason you should be dead is because you are an abomination that needs to be gotten rid of. A half-breed weakens the race…"

"A little something to think about – I may be half-human but I'm not human in _that_ sense. If your only concern is that I will create another _monster_ like myself, you are safe. My venom is not poisonous. I can not turn a human. I also can not have a child. I am a vampire in every sense that way. So if you're not lying and your only worry is the creation of something even more unknown than me, you can leave our land as we speak."

"Of course if you're not only worried about that…" Carlisle said.

"He is here to make sure his secret stays safe." Edward said smirking still. I felt another pang of pressure against my shield and glared at Jane.

"I really suggest you stop before something bad happens to you sweetheart." I hissed at her. She growled at me in return and I exposed my teeth in a snarl, making her shut her mouth.

"What is the secret? I want to know." Rosalie chimed in – again falling off the plan.

"It does not concern you." Aro barked at her.

"You talk to my wife that way again and you'll be the one needing a shield asshole." Emmett growled.

I never took my eyes away from Aro.

"The thing is, Aro here, fell madly in _love_…lust really, with a human woman and _took_ what he wanted from her. I hated you before I met you and I hate you even more now. If anyone here deserves to die, it's you. What in the hell makes you think you can do that to a poor defenseless woman and not have karma come back and bite you in the ass."

"Nothing can touch me."

"You think just being Aro and the head of the Volturi protects you?" I laughed. "Who's gonna protect you? Jane? I don't think so. She can't touch us. Felix? No I don't think so. You have seen my brother here haven't you?"

"You hurt me and you will face the consequences from the others. They will come to find you. You can't defend yourselves against the entire guard."

"Would they really challenge someone who can single handedly take out Aro the Great?" I sneered as I took a step closer to him.

"Bella, love…" Edward said in a low tone. I had almost forgotten that the rest of my family was still with me until Edward spoke.

"Love? So you have found a mate...hmmm…I'm thinking you'll watch him die first. Then you will watch the rest of your so called family die before I dispose of you. The bane of my existence. Obviously I should have taken care of this when I first discovered Renee was pregnant. I should have drained her dry and then made sure what was growing inside of her was dead as well." Aro laughed and in less than half a second Felix lunged toward Edward.

My instinct kicked in and without even thinking about it, I threw my shield with more force than I had been able to before. I felt it pull in from around us and then explode off of my body. We all watched Felix fly back into the surrounding woods without a word being spoken. The only sound being when he finally came in contact with a tree.

Before Aro and Jane could process what had happened my shield bounced back into my control and I immediately surrounded us with it again. No sense in taking the chance on Jane putting the pieces together and realizing my shield was no longer protecting us.

I had no sooner stretched it back into place when I felt Jane's pressure hit again.

Stupid bitch doesn't learn.

"You seem to not comprehend a warning when you get one, do you?" I said and threw my shield at her as well. Sending her into the air and down against a tree as well.

We all turned our attention from Jane to Aro. I took another step forward.

"I want you to talk. I want to know why. I want the story. I deserve the story." I said then took another step towards him.

'_Edward…she's fine. Trust her. Trust me.' _Alice's thoughts jumped into my mind. Edward was worried about me. I hadn't heard his original concern but it was obvious by Alice's thoughts. Knowing Alice wasn't worried gave me more courage so I took another step towards him.

"Now Aro." I said. He narrowed his eyes at me but spoke, reluctantly but still spoke.

"I was passing through when I saw her across the street. She was beautiful. I had never seen another human compare to her…hell I had never seen a vampire that compared. You look like her you know…"

"No, I didn't know. I never got to meet my mother." I said clenching my teeth. "Continue."

"I followed her all day. When I discovered she was engaged to the human, I was jealous. I hadn't ever felt that feeling before. I didn't know how to react to it. And on top of all of that, her blood was overpowering to me. I knew she wouldn't want to have anything to do with me. So I snuck into her room that night. I watched her sleep for at least three hours. Listening to her talk. The most amazing thing, her talking in her sleep. After three hours I was already in love with her…"

"Bullshit. You're not capable of love." I interrupted and took another step forward.

"I snatched her from her bed and ran her into the woods. I took her to an abandoned cabin before she realized what was even going on. She was scared of me and called me a monster. I told her I wouldn't hurt her but she tried to run. I told her she was mine. She refused. She told me she only belonged to Charles. In my jealousy, I took what I wanted the most. Her body. I resisted biting her knowing I was going to turn her eventually, but I wanted more of her human body. So I kept her human and made her my prisoner."

"You sick son-of-a-bitch!" Rose screamed. Emmett was there in a heartbeat to comfort her. I had forgotten she was raped as a human. I had not thought that this would bring up memories for her. I shot her apologetic look before returned to Aro.

"You're not done."

"I took her a few more times before I realized she was pregnant. She was no longer useful to me. I _thought_ you would kill her before you were born. I didn't think a human body could support the growth of a vampire child. So I left her to die alone in the cabin. I was still uneasy so I went to Carlisle. I told him a story, not the whole story but I told him I was sure Renee wouldn't survive, but apparently she lived long enough."

"She lived long enough to name me and give me a locket of her picture and Charles'. She lived long enough to pass me to Nina and Neil. She lived long enough to be my mother. You killed my mother because you were weak. _You_ killed her!" I yelled before I took the final step towards him. I was now only a foot away from him. I wanted to kill him.

I could see fear in his eyes. It was enough for me.

"I should end everything right now…" I said but before I could Jane and Felix both reappeared, running straight towards me.

Aro shocked me by calling them off with a wave of his hand.

"But…" He whispered.

"I'm not going to end it."

"Why not?"

"Yeah why not?" Jasper and Emmett both asked from behind me.

"You don't deserve that either. I want you to go back to Italy and tell everyone of the family you met in Washington. I want you to tell them how strong we are. I want you to live the rest of your existence in fear of us. I want you to go day to day wondering if it's the day I decide to seek my revenge on you. I want you to think about the fact that no one can stop me. No one in your guard can protect you from me. I want everyone to know about me. I want everyone to know that the half-human vampire is the strongest vampire living. But most importantly…." I said then paused for dramatic effect. I took a nice long glance to Felix and Jane. Both who were staring daggers at me but made no further move to attack.

"But most importantly, Aro, I want you to get the hell off our property and leave my family and me alone. The next time I see you it will because I have decided it's time for you to get what's long been coming to you." I finished excepting the three of them to turn and run.

"You would make a good member of the…"

"I suggest you leave our property now, Aro." Carlisle stepped up before I could blow my top. I took a cautionary step back and Alice and Edward were at my side in a second.

"Think about it Isabella – you two as well." Aro said nodding at Alice and Edward.

"You have exactly two seconds to leave…" I said.

"We are leaving. No need to fight today." He said as he pulled the hood back up onto his head. Jane and Felix followed suit and then they disappeared into the forest.

"Bella!" Alice bounced up and down next to me. "You were amazing! When I saw your shield protecting us a week ago, it was impossible not to tell you, but I saw that if I told you things wouldn't work the same way! You had to do it yourself…"

"You knew she would do this?" Edward asked.

"Oh yes. It was the clearest vision…one Bella wasn't even aware of. Her own plan kept interfering with it though and it was pissing me off. Why do you think I was adamant on the way things were? We had to set it up. We had to put ourselves out there first so she would protect us."

"You used us as bait?" Rose asked putting her hands on her hips.

"I wouldn't have done it if I wasn't sure Bella wasn't going to be able…and beside I was the only one at risk. Jane was going to hit me first."

"Yeah but Felix was going after me first." Edward laughed.

"True but we all knew Bella could throw her shield."

"Okay so now we have an outstanding threat towards the Volturi." Jasper laughed.

"Um…yeah. Sorry guys. I didn't really think before I threatened him."

"Are you crazy!? It was awesome! Did you see him? He was seriously scared of you. Imagine being scared of little you." Emmett laughed. I growled at him.

"Getting thrown by her shield is more painful than you'd think Em." Edward laughed.

"Really?" He asked way more excited than anyone should be with the prospect of getting tossed like a rag doll. "I wanna see what it's like. Please!"

"Emmett, honestly now." Esme scolded him as everyone else laughed.

"Not today Em. I just want to relax." I said then turned to Edward. "Care to lay with me?" I asked him as I took his hand.

"Happy to, love." He said as he picked me up and carried into the house and up to our room. "You were amazing today Bella."

"I was pretty kick ass wasn't I?" I said smiling but then yawned. "I think I'll sleep now though."

"I think that's the best idea. We have a lot to discuss."

"Love you." I said as I kissed him. I didn't hear him repeat it before I was out cold.


	14. Chapter 13

**A/N: Honestly this is kind of another fluff chapter. But that happens towards the end of a story. And this is the end of the story. I feel as though it's come to a natural end without me trying to end it. And that tells me not to draw it out. When people try to extend a story past a natural ending, it just seems too forced. This will not be the last chapter – well in a way it will be. You'll be seeing an epilogue after this one. Fingers crossed within the week it will be posted. **

**I hope you enjoy fluff – no lemons though. Sorry :-(**

**Chapter 13**

* * *

**EPOV**

As I lay here in my…_our_…bed holding this amazing creature while she sleeps, I can't help but replay what just happened.

How is any of it possible? I'm not even going to lie; I was scared shitless when I realized what Jane's power was. I knew Bella would be protected – or at least I assumed her shield would protect her own self, but what about the rest of us?

As soon as Jane focused her mind on Alice, I panicked…a vampire actually panicked. My instinct was to jump in front of her and try to shield her, which of course wouldn't have worked. Well I guess it's possible it would have worked by keeping Alice free of pain, but I would have been on the ground.

But then I realized none of us were in pain. None of us were on the ground and Jane looked pissed off. More than pissed off really. Something was wrong, or right depending on how you looked at it. That's when Bella walked out of the house.

I was hoping she would stay hidden, of course I also knew that it was not possible. I was surprised she waited that long to appear actually.

I was still confused as to why Jane's ability wasn't working but then I saw the look on Bella's face and then she spoke to Aro.

Bella, my Bella, was keeping us protected with her shield. She had somehow expanded it to cover all of us. We were safe.

I only half paid attention to the following conversation. I couldn't pull myself away from Bella long enough to really listen except when Aro told the story about Bella's mother.

But I can sure as hell tell you, I snapped to attention when Bella started threatening him and _walking_ towards him.

What the hell was she thinking?

Her approach spurred Aro forward to start the attack he had originally planned. I was his first target. He was resorting to Felix since Jane turned out to be useless against us. But then before Felix could even approach, he was thrown into the forest. In the next second, Jane as well had been thrown.

All I could think about was how incredibly…_sexy_ Bella was. She did all of this. She single handedly fought Aro and his two goons.

Standing by himself in our yard, facing eight vampires without his backup, Aro relented to Bella and told her everything. She could have killed him, even after Jane and Felix joined us, but she spared his life. She spared it and did the best thing she could possibly have done. She left him with a threat. One he knew she'd follow through on one day. She told him to tell the world who we were and how strong we were.

She protected us for eternity.

She called us her family and swore to protect us for eternity.

I looked back down at the sleeping goddess in my arms and smiled from ear to ear. I couldn't help the thought that came to mind.

My girlfriend is invincible. Now that she's learned the strength of her powers, she is literally invincible.

She's amazing. She's beautiful. She's perfect. And she's my girlfriend.

Girlfriend doesn't sound good enough though.

She's my everything for eternity. I hope she's prepared for eternity. I know it's too early in our relationship to be thinking about this, but eventually she will be my wife.

A contented sigh escaped my mouth at the thought of that.

"What are you so happy about?" Bella said with a grin on her face. I hadn't realized she woke up. Hell she probably had been reading my mind, judging by the look on her face she probably had.

"How long have you been awake?"

"About a minute I suppose." She shrugged. "Why?"

"Were you reading my mind?" I asked with a raised eyebrow. She let out an exasperated sigh as she forced herself out of my arms and sat up.

"No Edward. I wouldn't have asked what you were so happy about if I had. I've told you I don't read my family if I don't have to. If you don't tell me what made you so happy though, I will start reading your mind." She said.

"No need to get hostile about it." I said wrapping my arms back around her and pulling back down to me. "I was just thinking about what you were able to do today outside and how amazing you are and how I can't wait to spend eternity with you at my side." I told her honestly – well I left out the marriage part.

"Oh. I can't wait for eternity either." She smiled then kissed me. My grip automatically tightened around her and pulled her on top of me. She instantly straddled me, placing herself perfectly to feel how _excited_ I was about the thought of eternity. "Hmmm…I do believe someone is _very_ happy right now." She said against my lips.

"You have no idea how happy I truly am right now, love."

"If it's anywhere to what I'm feeling, then I do know." She said then rocked her hips against me.

I growled as I flipped us over. "You little minx."

She just giggled. She actually giggled and smiled the biggest smile I had ever seen on her face. She looked as if the world had been lifted off her shoulders. She looked as if she didn't have a care in the world. I never noticed how worn down she had looked until this very moment. She was now glowing.

"Edward?" Bella asked running a finger slowly down my jaw line regaining my attention.

"Today really helped you didn't it?" I asked.

"Oh so much." She said and I watched as tears filled her eyes. "I've always needed to face him, I just never knew who I needed to face until I met you. I was able to gain closure on everything in my life. I've always pretty much blamed myself for my mother's death and Nina's and Neil's, and in a way I will always, but now I blame _him_. Finally being able to just say everything I've always wanted to and face the monster that took my mother from me…I've always wondered if…if he had stayed around, could he have saved her after birthing me? Couldn't changing her have saved her life? But I know that that's not how things were supposed to work out. If it had been that way, I never would have ended up here and with what I know is meant to be my family. I've just never felt so light before." She said then paused. "Of course I feel pretty freaking great knowing I'm all but invincible." She laughed.

I had to laugh at her with her comment regarding her strength, but then I also needed to acknowledge the other things she said. "Love, I want you to know I am so…honored…to know you. There will never be another creature on this planet that will even close to you. And I want you to know, nothing makes me happier than to know you know you belong here with me, with us. You're a Cullen now." I said then immediately started wondering if I had stepped too far too soon in our relationship.

"Hmmm…Isabella Marie Swan Cullen. I like it, but…I think, if it's alright with you, I will keep Swan..."

I'm pretty sure if I had a heart, it would be beating out of my chest. Did that mean she never wanted to marry me? Would she always want to remain a Swan? Did she not want to be with me like that?

The room was actually spinning. I fell to the side of her on the bed and just stared at the ceiling. In a matter of less than a minute I went from euphoric happiness to the darkest depths of hell.

"Edward?" She asked as she moved to face me. I didn't respond. "Edward?" She asked again a little more frantic. I still couldn't find words. "Damn-it Edward Anthony Masen Cullen! You over-reacting idiotic vampire." She growled before huffing and getting off the bed. She paced around the room for a second before standing directly at the end of the bed. I saw her but couldn't make direct eye contact with her.

"You know, you act like a chick sometimes. It's like you only hear what you want to hear. You pay no attention to anything else. If you can sit there and honestly think for one minute that I don't want to spend all of eternity with you, you're ridiculous. If you think that for one minute that I don't _ever_ want to share you last name, you're a complete imbecile. My god Edward! We only just met, but Jesus…you make me feel like I need to marry you now or you're never gonna believe that I love you and that nothing could ever change that…"

_Wait what?_

I snapped my head up and looked at her.

"Yeah…that's right. Marry you. I know what your little freak out was about. I don't want to take on the last name Cullen until it's because we're married. I want to take on Cullen, only from you. I don't want it to be an adoption situation. I don't want to get the last name Cullen via Carlisle. I want to get it via you. I want you to be the only reason I claim that name. I want to be Isabella Marie Cullen. I can't believe you actually thought…" She said as the anger started falling out of her face and tone.

I jumped out of the bed and was at her side taking her hands and pulling her into my embrace before I knew I was doing it.

"I'm sorry love. I should never have questioned that you…"

"You damn well shouldn't have." She said into my chest causing me laugh a little.

"I won't ever do it again and I promise to stop overreacting to everything. I've always been the dramatic one in the family." I chuckled.

"I want you to get it through your thick skull that I love you. I will always love you and nothing will ever change that. I am never leaving you…I don't think I could if I tried. I know just a few days ago I was trying to figure out a way to leave, but it was to keep you safe. I now have no reason to worry about that. Not only is James out of the picture, but I think it's safe to say we will never have to worry about Aro ever again either. I have absolutely no reason to leave this family."

I couldn't think of anything to say in return, so I just kissed her. And I kissed her with as much emotion behind it as possible. She immediately responded to my advances and started walking me backwards back to the bed.

I fell on to it and she began crawling up my body, running her hands up my sides, pulling my shirt up with her placing kisses everywhere she could.

"Let's go play some ball!" Emmett boomed as he flung our bedroom door opened. "Haha…oops! Sorry didn't mean to interrupt anything." He said but was smirking.

"Emmett…" I growled and started to get off the bed.

"Don't worry babe…I got this one." Bella said in my ear before jumping up off the bed. She crouched down into a hunting stance and glared at Emmett. "Emmett…run." She growled before leaping towards him.

"Oh shit..." Emmett said before taking off down the stairs.

"Hey where are…" Rose yelled as they blurred by.

"Meet you in the field!" Emmett yelled before they disappeared into the woods.

I made my way downstairs to where the rest of my family was standing looking at the front door with wide open mouths. Well everyone except Alice. I couldn't help but notice the smug expression on Alice's face.

"Alice…" I said in a disapproving tone.

'_What? I didn't do anything. I just didn't tell him how it would end if he went up there and got you two. He knew he would be interrupting, but…I want to see him get beat for once. So sue me.' _She thought as she shrugged her shoulders.

"You're evil." I laughed.

"Oh whatever. You know you want to see it too." She said then pranced out the front door. "Well…aren't you all gonna follow me? We have a game to play."

We all laughed and followed her to the field. When we got there the scene before us sent all of us into hysterics. Bella and Emmett were facing off and Emmett was actually backing away from her.

'_Edward…get your crazy girlfriend under control.'_ Emmett said but there was a slight humorous undertone to his thoughts. He was actually enjoying this little game.

"Ahh…I thought you wanted to see what it felt like to get thrown across the forest." Bella said with a smirk.

"Oh!" Emmett said then started jumping up and down clapping his hands anxiously. He suddenly reminded me of Alice.

"Jesus Em…you look like an overgrown Alice." Jasper laughed echoing my own thoughts.

"Hey!" Alice pouted crossing her arms against her chest.

"Throw me Bells! Please!"

"I dunno…it's not really any fun when you know its coming."

"Oh come…" He said but was cut off when he went flying through the air. All we could hear was his boisterous laugh and then the crack of the tree that he hit. "Holy shit that was awesome!" He yelled from somewhere in the forest before he reappeared in front of us.

"Emmett you truly are a child." I said.

"And you're a pussy. That didn't hurt at all." He said.

"I am not a pussy." I growled.

"Are too."

"Am not."

"Are…"

"BOYS!" Rose, Alice, Esme, and I all four yelled at the same time.

"Lord. You'd think you both were children." Esme mumbled.

"Emmett, honey, I didn't hit you full force. I'm not mad at you so my power isn't full strength. When I threw Edward I was defending myself from an unknown threat."

"Well shit…remind me never to piss you off for real then. Although I was pretty scared shitless when you first came after me. I mean, you're like unbeatable. Untouchable. You're the strongest vampire in the world…"

"Yeah so don't you forget it." She said pointing a finger into his chest.

"Ouch." He laughed then rubbed the spot she had just pushed her finger.

"Okay children. Let's play some baseball. Alice is it time?" Carlisle asked.

"Yep!" She chirped then took her place on the pitching mound.

Carlisle split us into teams, making sure that Bella and I were not on the same team. Something about having two mind readers on the same side wasn't a fair fight. Bella wanted to play girls against guys.

"No way!" Jasper, Emmett, and I all shouted when she brought it up.

"Why not? Too worried about getting beat by a bunch a chicks?" Rose chimed in.

_Yes._ "No." I answered then scanned Alice's mind.

'_Get out of my head Edward! I'm not showing you the outcome of the game. You know I never do that.'_ Alice said then started reciting the periodic table, backwards, in her head.

School.

Shit. I forgot about school. None of us had been there for the past week. Rumors are going to be flying like crazy. We have to go back and soon to stop them before it forces us to leave town.

'_Quit worrying about school. I've got a plan worked out already.'_ Bella's thoughts entered my head.

_I thought you never read your family…_

'_I do when they look freaked out over something and your brother who can sense emotions starts throwing concerned looks between you and myself. You really do worry too much.' _She said then smiled.

"So is it women against boys?" Rose asked glaring at us.

"Alright fine." We all said.

"When we beat you ladies, please try not to pout." Carlisle chimed in.

"Oh yeah? Well when we beat you please try not to act like two year olds." Esme chimed right back in causing us all to laugh at their banter.

Alice threw the first pitch to Jasper which was of course he hit and it headed well into the trees of the surrounding forest.

A run for sure.

Then it hit something. Something invisible and feel down into Bella's waiting hands.

"No fucking fair!" All us guys yelled as the girls laughed.

"You can not use your shield to stop a ball!" Emmett whined.

"Fine fine fine. Jasper you can bat again." Bella said throwing the ball back to Alice. "And I promise I won't use my shield anymore."

"Let's make this a fair game." Carlisle said as Jasper took his place back in the batter's box.

---

"So how's it feel to lose to a bunch of girls." Bella taunted later after we got home from playing.

"Not too bad actually. Surprisingly really good. Does the loser get a consolation prize?"

"Hmmm…only if the winner gets to claim her prize." She said then kissed me.

"I think that can be arranged." I hummed.

"I hope you know I plan on collecting my prize for the next thousand or so years, right?"

"I certainly hope you're right." I said as I laid her down on the bed to pick up where we had left off early in the day.

---

The following Monday, we headed back to school, armed with the story that Bella devised to explain all of our absences. Why we were told the story was beyond me, none of the humans would ever talk to us. In fact I'm pretty sure the only humans that spoke to Bella all day were Angela Weber and the teachers.

"Ah so good to see you again Miss Swan, Mr. Cullen." Mr. Banner our Biology teacher greeted us when we walked into the door.

'_Oh look the honeymoon must be over.' _Mike Newton sneered. I almost turned and growled but Bella's sweet voice kept me in check.

"Hello Mr. Banner." Bella said smiling sadly.

"We are all sorry for you loss Bella."

"Thank you sir. It's been hard, but I was lucky to have the Cullens by my side through the whole ordeal. Dr. Cullen's expertise was the best we could hope for. Everything happens for a reason."

'_What the hell happed to Bella?'_ A chorus of thoughts bombarded me from behind us.

"Mr. Cullen it was awfully kind of you and your family to assist Bella in her time of need. The loss of ones parents is so difficult. I am glad she has you and your family in her life. She needs friends like you right now."

"Yes sir. I know. We love her. She's a part of our family now. We're taking her in. My parents have graciously opened their doors to another."

'_Bella's parents died!? Oh how horrible!'_

'_Probably just a lie they've concocted.'_

'_Leave it to the Cullens to take in another…it only makes sense seeing how she's dating Edward. It's still just gross…they're like siblings. Ghaw…'_

I just rolled my eyes at the thoughts from behind us as I heard a very quiet chuckle from beside me.

"Does that make what we did in the car on the way to school against the law?" She whispered too quiet and fast for humans to hear. She was listening to their thoughts as well. It was everything I could do not to laugh out loud but then I thought about the excursion on the way to school and was now groaning with the memories.

"Well we're glad to have you back with us. Please take your seats and we'll begin. If you have any questions or feel lost…although I highly doubt either one of you will…just let me know."

"Thank you Mr. Banner." Bella and I both said trying to hide our smiles and headed back to our seats.

The whole day was like that so when we finally were able to leave high school hell, we locked ourselves away in our bed room. We had all been relieved to know that the story Bella thought of was going to actually work. Not that we were planning on staying around Forks much longer. We were heading towards up-state New York next and starting college. But for the next ten or so months, we could live without worrying about anything. Nothing at all.

"Edward?" Bella broke the silence we had been laying in for the past hour or so.

"Yes love?"

"Do you really think it was smart of me to leave the threat hanging over Aro?"

"Yes. Why?"

"Do you think I'll ever have to actually back it up and go to Italy?"

"I don't know. Maybe. If you do ever decide to follow through with it, I will go with you."

"I think if it ever happens it won't be for quite a while. I'm thinking letting him sweat it out for a couple hundred years is good for me."

"I think you're right." I said then we drifted into silence again until she broke it again.

"Edward?"

"Yes?"

"Thank you."

"Thank you for what, love?"

"For loving me and for not walking away saying I was a crazy half-breed with too much drama for you." She said then sniffled. "Thank you for loving me."

"Oh Bella. I should be thanking you. Thank you for allowing me to love you."


	15. Epilogue

Epilogue

"Bella! Get your tiny ass in here!" Alice yelled through the house. I sighed and lifted my head off of Edward's chest to look at him. He had his beautiful eyes closed but he was smiling.

"You'd think after this much time she'd know I don't like when she does this." I mumbled and he just laughed. "And you're not going to help at all, are you?"

"I've learned my lesson. I'm never stepping between you and Alice again. Last time I did, I had to deal with Alice's wrath."

"Yeah but you got to reap the rewards of helping me." I said as I reached up and kissed him deeply hoping to remind him of what reward he got if he saved him from his sisters clutches.

"You sneaky little…" Alice yelled through the door. "Isabella Marie Swan Cullen! Edward is not going to help you this time so quit trying to work him up." She yelled then just let herself into our room.

"Alice…" I whined.

"You'd think after a hundred years you'd be used to this."

"I would have thought after a hundred years you and Rose would have gotten over playing dress-up with me as your life-size doll."

"Nope. Never! Okay now get up so we can get you ready for the first day of school. Edward, you get ready too. Wear your dark wash Diesel jeans with your new…"

"Yeah I got it." He said then got out of bed leaving me without his protection.

"Why don't you hound him." I whined again as she started pulling me forcibly out of bed.

"Because Edward has learned not to fight it." She said as she successfully pulled me out of the bedroom and down the hall to where Rose was impatiently waiting.

An hour later all six of us were on our way to another new school. Starting a new school, again, was something I had gotten use to. Having Edward by my side made it all easier to deal with.

The past hundred years has been spent with the family and at times without family. Edward and I officially married five years after leaving Forks in a very private ceremony on a private island owned by Carlisle and Esme. Alice arranged everything of course, and so it was beautiful. After the ceremony Edward and I instantly set out on our _honeymoon_ time. We traveled around Europe – avoiding a certain city in Italy – for roughly five years. And other than that time we've been with the Cullens. We enjoyed our alone time but we missed our family so we went back and have never had the urge to leave them again.

We've spent the past hundred years free of worry and hiding. Everything has been beyond perfect with…well…everything. Almost too perfect if you ask me, but don't try to tell any of the other Cullens this. Since that fateful day when Aro came to dispose of the Cullens, we hadn't heard a peep from anyone in Italy.

We have had a few curious visitors show up, mostly friends of Carlisle's, who wanted to see the only half-breed and the powers I possess. There were times I felt like a circus side-show but I never said anything. Of course with Jasper around, I never had to mention my feelings.

"Oh it looks so different!" Alice chirped as we pulled into the parking lot at the school.

"Of course it does. Did you think they really wouldn't remodel after a century." Emmett laughed.

I got out of our bigger than necessary vehicle and stared at the place where my life changed. We've come back to Forks again to start our freshman years of high school again.

"You ready, love?" Edward whispered in my ear.

"Of course." I smiled as the six of us headed in to the main office, turning heads the whole way.

The day (well the whole first week) went as Alice predicted – slow and boring and with rumors starting already. The hardest part about going back to high school was not being married. I was no longer Bella Cullen – I was Bella Swan again. I was another adopted child of the Cullens who kept my last name. I was not Edward's wife, I was simply his girlfriend. It was strange to say the least.

Even with the minor inconveniences of my life, it was everything I wanted and more than I ever thought possible for me.

On the way back to the house Friday afternoon, my perfect life faltered just a little bit.

"I told you it was too good to last." I growled when I saw Alice's vision. Edward had his jaw clenched tight and fists clenched even tighter.

"What's going on?" Jasper asked.

"Aro is making another visit. He'll be at the house waiting for us when we show up. He is alone." Edward said.

"What does _he_ want?" Rose hissed.

"Just to catch up and see how we're doing." Alice said.

"I don't care. I don't want him here. I never wanted to see him again. When I made that threat I didn't ever think I'd see him again and I certainly didn't expect him to make contact again." I growled.

"But he is alone so he's probably not here to try and start…" Alice said.

"I don't care. That asshole doesn't have any right to show up at our house…and why now?" Emmett said as we turned into the drive at the house.

"Well I guess we're going to find out." I said as I stepped out of the vehicle and towards the house where I knew Esme and Carlisle were waiting with Aro inside.

Of course Edward quickly joined me and we walked into the house together.

He was sitting in the living room with Carlisle. They were just staring at each other.

"Aro." I said when his eyes met mine.

"Isabella." He said nodding towards me and standing up. "You look well and happy."

"The love of a family and husband tend to make someone happy, yes."

"Why are you here?" Edward finally asked the only question any of us had our minds.

"I have no ulterior motives. I really just wanted to check in on the most powerfully vampire coven…"

"Family." We all said in correction.

"Yes, family. The most powerful vampire family in existence…"

And there it was. He slipped.

"No you wanted to ask again." I said.

"We are not joining your guard. We don't want that life." Edward said.

"Why would you not want it?" Aro asked incredulously. "Every vampire fears you…"

"Do we need that title for that to be the truth? You're afraid right now that at any moment Bella can throw you across the room or that Emmett could rip your head off in one quick movement or…" Jasper said reading Aro's emotions perfectly.

"You are correct." Aro said reluctantly. "I just think…"

"You think wrong. It's not going to happen, I've seen it." Alice smirked.

"Yes I suppose…"

"Look," I interrupted. "Aro just leave. I want you out of this house and out of our lives forever. If you leave right now I will promise that you won't hear from me ever, if you promise to never reappear in my…_our_ lives."

"Bella I…I don't want that. I…I've never. I still love your mother and you remind me so much of her and I would love nothing more than to have you a part of my life…"

"No. You deserve nothing of the sort. You tried to kill me! Do you really think I'd forgive that?! I want you gone. Now. I want nothing to do with you! Can you understand that?" I demand and he just looked down at the floor never moving his gaze up to meet mine.

"I'll show you to the door." Emmett said.

"No need. I can see it from here." Aro said then walked out of our lives, again.

"See I told you! No worries!" Alice said bouncing up and down.

"Except the thought of trying to convince us to join him…" Edward growled.

"It only last a split second." I flashed a wide smile.

"I'm so in love with you." Edward whispered in my ear as he nibbled on it.

"Get a room!" Rose laughed.

"We don't wanna see that." Emmett punched Edward's shoulder.

"You two are just as bad, so just shove it up your…" Edward started.

"Children…" Esme chided them and just like that Aro's visit was forgotten and my family and I were right back to our typical afternoons after coming home from school or work.

Aro was gone and if we were more than pretty sure that it was forever. He knew he would get nowhere with us. Plus I gave him an offer he couldn't refuse. I promise to never show up at his doorstep and kill him.

A hundred years after my life was flipped upside down and changed a way I never thought possible, I was free to finally live it worry free.

And the only way I wanted to spend it was locked in my bedroom with my husband for the next two days.

* * *

**A/N: Okay folks…that's all she wrote for this one. There will be no sequel so please don't ask for it. **

**I have another story already in the pipeline and I'm thrilled about it. I have about six or so chapters already mapped out but I am also in the process of buying a home. I close on it in a week and then I will have major renovations to do so I'm not entirely sure when I'll be able to start posting the new story. Soon hopefully.**

**A little teaser though – it is all human and set in California. Hmmm…I think that's all you're getting right now though. Maybe if you ask politely I'll send you something more in a PM. :-)**

**As always thank you so much for all your support and reviews!!!!!!!!!!!!! Until the next one………..**


	16. Author Note

Sorry I always told myself I wouldn't do this to my readers but I'm really excited about this new story so I wanted to make sure everyone who could possible like the new story got a chance to read this one. So this is not an update to _Beyond the Past_ but just a notice for my new story.

The first chapter for _Lonely Doctor_ has now been posted. Let me know what you think!


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